Former Clemson coach Wes Goodwin opens up on firing, new role at Oklahoma
Wes Goodwin had some “cool moments” at Clemson: Winning two ACC championships, making the College Football Playoff, coaching NFL Draft picks.
But the former Tigers defensive coordinator, who was fired on Jan. 6 after three seasons coaching under Dabo Swinney and is now on staff at Oklahoma, said he’s also taking two valuable pieces of advice with him from his Clemson stint.
“You live your life under a microscope in those type of positions, so always be true to yourself and be who you are,” Goodwin said last week. “It’s already hard enough being yourself. Don’t try to be someone else, so that’s the biggest thing.”
That was an interesting answer from Goodwin, 40, who replaced Brent Venables as Clemson’s defensive coordinator in 2021 and, for better or for worse, was frequently compared and contrasted to his old boss during his own Tigers tenure.
Goodwin has now reunited at Oklahoma with Venables, who’s entering his fourth season as coach of the Sooners. Goodwin was formally hired as OU’s assistant linebackers/outside linebackers coach on Feb. 1 and addressed local media after the team’s Crimson Combine spring game event on Saturday.
It marked his first public comments since being fired at Clemson earlier this year.
When asked what he’d learned from his time at Clemson, Goodwin emphasized the importance of being true to yourself — and knowing who your true friends are.
“Blocking out the outside noise and just focusing on the task at hand are probably the two main things that I took away from it,” Goodwin said. “And just keep your circle small. You know, there’s only so many people in this profession that you can truly trust. So keep your circle small.”
Goodwin’s tenure ‘just didn’t work’
Swinney has said that if he didn’t promote Goodwin to defensive coordinator when Venables left for Oklahoma in December 2021, Goodwin would’ve followed Venables to OU. Goodwin confirmed that on Saturday, saying he “would have loved to have joined” Venables in Norman had he not gotten an opportunity at Clemson.
“I never knew how it would all shake out,” Goodwin said. “It worked out for me to take over at Clemson, and now it’s worked out for me to join the program here. And I can’t tell you how excited and fired up I am to be here.”
Clemson’s defense performed well in Goodwin’s first two seasons, and the Tigers tied for the national lead in turnovers forced and defensive touchdowns and finished among the national top 10 in total defense and passing defense in 2023.
That earned Goodwin, 40, who also worked as the team’s linebackers coach, a contract extension and a big raise heading into the 2024 season.
But the Tigers’ defense regressed significantly in Goodwin’s third year, even as the Tigers went 10-4 and made the CFP. Clemson allowed five teams to run for 200-plus yards and allowed its most yards per carry in a single season since 1975.
“It just didn’t work,” Swinney said of Goodwin’s tenure. “And that’s my fault.”
The Tigers made a big-name hire to replace Goodwin, poaching Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen after he coached one season with the Nittany Lions. Allen, who’s also worked as Indiana’s head coach, will make $1.9 million this season.
Goodwin was unemployed for less than a month before Venables hired him to his OU staff. In Norman, he joins a number of other former Clemson staffers who worked with Venables, including Todd Bates and Miguel Chavis.
“No one’s a better recruiter,” Goodwin said of Venables. “No one’s going to outwork him more. No one’s a better teacher and coach of defensive football, I believe, in this country. Just honored to work with him on a daily basis from that standpoint.”
Wes Goodwin contract situation
Goodwin was making $1.4 million in total salary in 2024, according to a copy of his most recent contract obtained by The State. He was set to earn $1.5 million in 2025-26 and $1.6 million in 2026-27 under a three-year deal approved last February.
Because Clemson fired Goodwin without cause, it was set to owe him 100% of the total compensation remaining on his contract ($3.1 million through Jan. 31, 2027).
That money will now be offset by Goodwin’s salary at Oklahoma. He will make $200,000 annually with the Sooners, per The Oklahoman.
Clemson will pay Goodwin the difference between those two salaries. In 2025-26, for example, the university is still on the hook to pay Goodwin $1.3 million.
This story was originally published April 16, 2025 at 11:14 AM.
