Brent Venables is an icon at Clemson. Building some of the strongest defenses of the country, his impact on the program made it easier for his son, Tyler, to begin his journey at Death Valley. But Clemson might not be keen about keeping him on for a future role.

Clemson is notorious for being an ultra-exclusive program. That’s more so because of the former Tigers who dominate the staff here. Tyler, Venables’ younger son, has already expressed his desire to become a coach. And because of him being a Clemson player, he’s already halfway there in beginning that chapter at his alma mater. But AD Graham Neff is now bringing about a major change.

Neff was asked at a recent event about Clemson usually preferring alums as staffers, and whether it had a chance of causing a downfall. The AD took a neutral stance on the matter. “It has appeal, meaning just the continuity of our staff, to certain, you know, recruits,” Neff said, aligning with the existing trend. “Again, the notion of mixing in outside perspectives and experience and diversity of that skill set is important,” he added, bringing in a new agenda.

Going by the later comment, Tyler Venables’ professional future at Clemson might not be a done deal. He’s spent six years as a player, as injuries plagued his career. But the younger Venables kept himself busy and worked on his resume. He switched to a student coach in 2023. Moreover, Tyler passed on moving to Oklahoma with his father to stay at Clemson. “This is where I need to be,” he told USA Today in 2022. This program is practically home for Clemson.

But had he begun his professional journey some years ago, he might have had a shot. Dabo Swinney himself is already in the process of transitioning to outside hire. But given the decisions he’s taken in the last few years, Swinney knows that sticking to one extreme ideology doesn’t always bring results.

Dabo Swinney and Clemson quietly making a big change with staffing

The Clemson HC has a reputation for not firing anyone for a little over a decade. This was a period littered with titles and brilliant records. But then came 2022, and he was forced to make some changes. Swinney fired former OC Brandon Streeter in 2022. In 2023, Swinney parted ways with Thomas Austin (O-line coach). And in 2025, he fired Wes Goodwin. All of them have played for Clemson in the past. Now, these positions are occupied by people who aren’t inherently linked to the program.

Clemson’s golden period under Dabo Swinney has been snapped. To bring it back, the program has to adopt a different strategy. Goodwin was working as DC despite having no play calling experience prior to taking on that role. Tom Allen replaced him, coming from Penn State. He is struggling at Clemson, but he also built one of the best defenses in the country last year for PSU.

Internal hiring still hasn’t been abandoned by Swinney. He still has former players on his staff currently, and even people with whom he has a personal connect. But experience other than being at Clemson has become a factor for candidates. Nick Eason (DT coach) is a former player and also has NFL experience. Chris Rumph (DE coach) also has an NFL coaching background, and had already completed a Clemson coaching stint under Swinney.

Clemson is breaking away from what used to work for the program. From dipping toes in the transfer portal to making external hires, new things are happening. The connect is there, but so is the outside experience. Maybe if Tyler Venables gets seasoned as a coach elsewhere, he can hope for a stronger chance in building a career at Clemson.