CLEMSON — Dabo Swinney’s search to replace Wes Goodwin as Clemson’s defensive coordinator continues on.

The Clemson Insider has continued talking with our sources the last couple of days and we have a few more updates we would like to provide. Again, in a coaching search things are always fluid and dynamic and things can certainly change and change fast.

As we reported on Wednesday, Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks is no longer in the running. We can tell you, there was contact between Banks’ camp and Clemson had some interest, but in the end, it just did not work out.

Rumors have circulated around Clemson that Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden is a candidate for the job. TCI has confirmed that is not the case and a source tells TCI that Golden is likely to end up with an NFL team.

As for who are candidates to be Clemson’s new defensive coordinator, sources have told us there are two NFL coaches in the mix.

One candidate we reported in Monday’s update. Denver Broncos defensive backs coach Jim Leonhard has emerged as a viable candidate. However, the Broncos are currently preparing to take on the Buffalo Bills Sunday in the NFL Wild Card Round, so Swinney will not be able to really speak to Leonhard until after the Broncos’ season is over.

There is another NFL coach in the mix, and like Leonhard, his team is also in the playoffs. As of right now, we are trying to get more confirmation before we can release his name as a candidate.

At the college level, we can tell you there are two new names we have heard. One coach is in the Big 12 and one is in the ACC. At this time, we are still getting more information on the Big 12 coach to confirm he is a candidate before releasing his name.

A name we are hearing in connection with the Clemson job is SMU defensive coordinator Scott Symons. He just finished his third season at SMU.

Symons’ defense helped the Mustangs reach the ACC Championship Game this past season. According to SMU’s official team website, 2024 was the second straight year the Mustangs finished in the top five in defensive touchdowns with four. The mark was also the best in the ACC.

SMU posted the second-best rushing defense in program history, allowing just 100.2 yards per game on the ground. The mark was good for seventh best in the FBS and tops in the conference.

With Symons’ coaching, SMU ranked in the top 25 in the FBS in multiple different categories including: defensive touchdowns (5th, 4), rushing defense (7th, 100.2), team sacks (10th, 3.07), passes intercepted (14th, 16), fourth down conversion pct. defense (17th, .415), tackles for loss (18th, 7.1), third down conversion pct. defense (19th, .332) and red zone defense (24th, .767).

Under Symons, the Mustangs got to the quarterback for 43 sacks, which ranked sixth nationally. Symons was named a semifinalist for the Broyles Award, which is given annually to the nation’s best assistant coach.