Longtime College Football Head Coach To Join Dabo Swinney at Clemson…
The Clemson Tigers and head coach Dabo Swinney have made a significant coaching addition following their successful 2024 season. After reclaiming the ACC championship with a victory over SMU and making their first College Football Playoff appearance since 2020, Clemson is bolstering its defensive staff with the hiring of former East Carolina head coach Mike Houston.
Houston, 53, brings a wealth of experience to the Tigers. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Houston is expected to join Clemson’s defensive staff under newly hired defensive coordinator Tom Allen. Allen, a highly regarded defensive mind, was previously with Penn State and now looks to revamp Clemson’s defense with Houston’s assistance.
Houston’s tenure at East Carolina was marked by a turnaround of the program. Before his arrival, the Pirates endured four consecutive losing seasons. However, under Houston’s leadership, the program saw a resurgence. In 2021, he guided ECU to its first winning season in years, followed by an 8-5 record and a bowl game victory in 2022, the Pirates’ first bowl win since 2013.
Before his time at East Carolina, Houston found great success at the FCS level as the head coach of James Madison University. In his debut season in 2016, he led the Dukes to a national championship with a 14-1 record and returned to the title game the following year. His coaching career began as a defensive coordinator in the North Carolina high school ranks before moving to collegiate roles at Brevard and Lenoir–Rhyne.
Clemson is poised to be a formidable force in the 2025 season. The Tigers return standout quarterback Cade Klubnik along with key defensive players such as linemen TJ Parker and Peter Woods, cornerback Avieon Terrell, and linebacker Sammy Brown. The team’s first test of the season will come in a marquee matchup against LSU at home on August 30.
With Houston’s expertise joining an already talented coaching staff, Clemson aims to build on its ACC title and compete for another playoff run in 2025. Fans will be eager to see how these coaching moves translate to on-field success in the upcoming season.
