List of Clemson Tigers head football coaches
The Clemson Tigers football program is a college football team that represents Clemson University in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The Tigers compete as part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The team has had 25 head coaches since it began play in the 1896 season.[1] Since October 2008, Dabo Swinney has served as Clemson's head coach.[2]
![](../I/m/Dabo_Swinney_2008_02_crop.jpg)
The team has played in 1,050 games over 116 seasons.[3] In that time, eight coaches have led Clemson to postseason bowl games: Jess Neely, Frank Howard, Charley Pell, Danny Ford, Ken Hatfield, Tommy West, Tommy Bowden, and Swinney.[1] Five coaches have won conference championships with the Tigers: John Heisman won two as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association; Howard won two as a member of the Southern Conference; and Howard, Pell, Ford, Hatfield, and Swinney won a combined 14 as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.[3] In 1981, Ford led the Tigers to the national championship.[4] Swinney has guided the Tigers to four ACC championships and three national title appearances, winning the 2016 and 2018 championships.
Howard is the all-time leader in games coached (295), seasons coached (30), and total wins (165).[1] Heisman has the highest winning percentage, with .833 in his four years at Clemson.[1] Of coaches with more than one season, Hootie Ingram has the lowest winning percentage (.364 in 3 seasons).[1] Of the 25 head coaches who have led the Tigers, Heisman,[5] Jess Neely,[6] Ford, and Howard[7] have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as coaches; Josh Cody was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player.[8]
Key
General | Overall | Conference | Postseason[A 1] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Order of coaches[A 2] | GC | Games coached | CW | Conference wins | PW | Postseason wins |
DC | Division championships | OW | Overall wins | CL | Conference losses | PL | Postseason losses |
CC | Conference championships | OL | Overall losses | CT | Conference ties | PT | Postseason ties |
NC | National championships | OT | Overall ties[A 3] | C% | Conference winning percentage | ||
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Elected to the College Football Hall of Fame | O% | Overall winning percentage[A 4] |
Coaches
No. | Name | Term(s) | GC | OW | OL | OT | O% | CW | CL | CT | C% | PW | PL | DCs | CCs | NCs | Awards |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Walter Riggs | 1896, 1899 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | 3 | 2 | 0 | .600 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | — |
2 | William M. Williams | 1897 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | — |
3 | John Penton | 1898 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | — |
4 | John Heisman![]() |
1900–1903 | 24 | 19 | 3 | 2 | .833 | 16 | 0 | 2 | .944 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | — |
5 | Shack Shealy | 1904 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | .500 | 3 | 3 | 1 | .500 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | — |
6 | Eddie Cochems | 1905 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | .583 | 3 | 2 | 1 | .583 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | — |
7 | Bob Williams | 1906, 1909, 1913–1915, 1926[A 6] | 46 | 21 | 19 | 6 | .522 | 10 | 10 | 5 | .500 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
8 | Frank Shaughnessy | 1907 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | .500 | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | — |
9 | John N. Stone | 1908 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | .143 | 0 | 4 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | — |
10 | Frank Dobson | 1910–1912 | 24 | 11 | 12 | 1 | .479 | 7 | 12 | 1 | .375 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | — |
11 | Wayne Hart | 1916 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | .333 | 2 | 4 | 0 | .333 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
12 | Edward Donahue | 1917–1920 | 36 | 21 | 12 | 3 | .625 | 13 | 10 | 2 | .560 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
13 | E. J. Stewart | 1921–1922 | 18 | 6 | 10 | 2 | .389 | 2 | 9 | 2 | .231 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
14 | Bud Saunders | 1923–1926 | 28 | 10 | 17 | 1 | .375 | 2 | 9 | 1 | .208 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
15 | Josh Cody![]() |
1927–1930 | 41 | 29 | 11 | 1 | .720 | 12 | 9 | 0 | .571 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
16 | Jess Neely![]() |
1931–1939 | 85 | 43 | 35 | 7 | .547 | 18 | 13 | 2 | .576 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
17 | Frank Howard![]() |
1940–1969 | 295 | 165 | 118 | 12 | .580 | 100 | 48 | 5 | .670[A 8] | 3 | 3 | — | 8 | 0 | ACC Coach of the Year (1958)[12] ACC Coach of the Year (1966)[12] |
18 | Hootie Ingram | 1970–1972 | 33 | 12 | 21 | 0 | .364 | 8 | 10 | 0 | .444 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
19 | Red Parker | 1973–1976 | 44 | 17 | 25 | 2 | .409 | 10 | 11 | 1 | .477 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ACC Coach of the Year (1974)[12] |
20 | Charley Pell | 1977–1978 | 23 | 18 | 4 | 1 | .804 | 10 | 1 | 1 | .875 | 0 | 1 | — | 1 | 0 | ACC Coach of the Year (1977)[12] ACC Coach of the Year (1978)[12] |
21 | Danny Ford | 1978–1989[A 9] | 129 | 96 | 29 | 4 | .760 | 56 | 16 | 1 | .774 | 6 | 2 | — | 5 | 1 – 1981 | ACC Coach of the Year (1981)[12] FWAA Coach of the Year (1981)[13] Woody Hayes Trophy (1981)[14] AFCA Coach of the Year (1981)[15] |
22 | Ken Hatfield | 1990–1993 | 46 | 32 | 13 | 1 | .707 | 19 | 10 | 1 | .650 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 0 | — |
23 | Tommy West | 1993–1998[A 10] | 59 | 31 | 28 | 0 | .525 | 21 | 19 | 0 | .525 | 1 | 3 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
24 | Tommy Bowden | 1999–2008 | 117 | 72 | 45 | — | .615 | 43 | 32 | — | .573 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ACC Coach of the Year (1999)[12] ACC Coach of the Year (2003)[12] |
25 | Dabo Swinney | 2008–present[A 11] | 146 | 116 | 30 | — | .795 | 69 | 16 | — | .812 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 2 - (2016) (2018) | Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year (2011)[16] AP Coach of the Year Award (2015)[17] |
Notes
- Although the first Rose Bowl Game was played in 1902, it has been continuously played since the 1916 game, and is recognized as the oldest bowl game by the NCAA. "—" indicates any season prior to 1916 when postseason games were not played.[9]
- A running total of the number of head coaches, with coaches who served separate tenures being counted only once. Interim head coaches are represented with "Int" and are not counted in the running total. "—" indicates the team played but either without a coach or no coach is on record. "X" indicates an interim year without play.
- Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible in the period since.[10]
- When computing the win–loss percentage, a tie counts as half a win and half a loss.[11]
- Statistics correct as of the end of the 2010 college football season.
- Williams replaced Saunders for the final 5 games of the 1926 season.
- Cody was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player at Vanderbilt.[8]
- Howard had a record of 34–18–3 (.645) against Southern Conference opponents and 66–30–2 (.684) against ACC opponents.
- Ford replaced Pell for the final game of the 1978 season.
- West replaced Hatfield for the final game of the 1993 season.
- Swinney replaced Bowden for the final 7 games of the 2008 season.
References
- General
- Bourret, Tim. "2010 Clemson Football Media Guide" (PDF). Clemson University. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 24, 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
- Specific
- 2010 Media Guide, p. 175
- "Clemson's Bowden steps down". Sports Illustrated. October 13, 2008. Archived from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
- 2010 Media Guide, pp. 198–199
- "1981 National Championship Season" (PDF). Clemson University. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
Under Swinney's guidance the tigers have won four ACC championships, and has made three national championship appearances;winning both the 2016 and 2018 national title.
- "John Heisman". College Football Hall of Fame. Football Foundation. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
- "Jess Neely". College Football Hall of Fame. Football Foundation. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
- "Frank Howard". College Football Hall of Fame. Football Foundation. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
- "Josh Cody". College Football Hall of Fame. Football Foundation. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
- National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2011). Bowl/All-Star Game Records (PDF). Indianapolis, Indiana: NCAA. pp. 5–10. Archived from the original on August 22, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
- Whiteside, Kelly (August 25, 2006). "Overtime system still excites coaches". USA Today. McLean, Virginia. Archived from the original on November 24, 2009. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
- Finder, Chuck (September 6, 1987). "Big plays help Paterno to 200th". The New York Times. New York City. Archived from the original on October 22, 2009. Retrieved October 22, 2009.
- "ACC Honors Year by Year" (PDF). 2010 ACC Football Information Guide. Atlantic Coast Conference. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
- "Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award". Football Writers Association of America. Archived from the original on August 22, 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
- "Woody Hayes Trophy". Touchdown Club of Columbus. Archived from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
- "Past National COTY Winners". American Football Coaches Association. Archived from the original on August 20, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
- "Clemson University Head Coach Dabo Swinney Named Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year for 2011". Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. December 31, 2011. Archived from the original on January 5, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
- http://www.chron.com/sports/college-football/article/Clemson-coach-Dabo-Swinney-named-coach-of-the-year-6757622.php