CLEMSON -- Clemson is paying big money to its newest assistant football coaches.
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New offensive line coach Matt Luke will make $975,000 and Chris Rumph $950,000 in the first year of three-year contracts that were approved by the compensation committee of Clemson's Board of Trustees this morning.
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Both assistants have three-year contracts. Luke's increases to $1.1 million his second year and $1.2 million the third year.
Rumph's increases to $1 million his second year and $1.1 the third year.
“My family and I are incredibly excited about this opportunity,” Luke said in a statement Monday. “I have always had tremendous admiration for Dabo as a man, as a coach and as a leader, and I am excited for the opportunity to help him win another national championship at Clemson.”
Said Dabo Swinney: “Matt is exactly what we needed with his hire. He brings an incredible résumé and a wealth of experience and has worked with a bunch of great coaches and players over his career. He is very familiar with our footprint in recruiting. I have no doubt he will be a great addition.”
Last Thursday, Swinney fired Thomas Austin and Lemanski Hall. Austin was making $450,000 a year to coach the Tigers' offensive line, and Hall $625,000.
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Austin and Hall are on multi-year contracts that continue through January of 2025.
Luke has been out of coaching since February of 2022, when he abruptly left Kirby Smart's staff after the Bulldogs won a national title. Luke said he wanted to spend more time with his family, and he's been out of coaching since.
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Rumph, who coached for Tommy Bowden and Swinney at Clemson from 2006 to 2010, is defensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings. He is one of two Vikings defensive assistants who are on personal leaves of absence.
“For me, this is coming home,” Rumph said in a statement Monday. “Clemson is a great fit for me and my family in terms of the town and the quality of the people. The passion of the fan base is second-to-none… Clemson is a program that has won consistently and won at the highest levels under Coach Swinney. I am excited to do my part to return the program where it aspires to be and once again have Clemson in the College Football Playoff and competing for national championships year in and year out.“
“Chris really fits what I was looking for in this hire,” Swinney said. “I wanted someone with NFL experience — and he certainly brings that — and I was looking for the right recruiting fit as someone who grew up in this state and played in this state. We’ve had a great relationship for a long time now and, honestly, he was a guy that almost came back a couple of other times over the years, but this is the right time and I’m excited to welcome him and Kila back and him continuing the great tradition we’ve had with our defensive ends.”
With the hire of Nick Eason from Auburn two years ago and Garrett Riley from TCU last January, Swinney has gone outside the program for his last four assistant hires.
Clemson started 4-4 this season before winning its final four games to earn a spot in the Gator Bowl against Kentucky.
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