It’s now confirmed that Clemson senior offensive assistant John Grass is leaving the program to become Samford’s next head coach. His move ends a four-year run in Clemson in which he played a steady role on the offensive side and most recently assisted with the quarterbacks.
Grass joined the Tigers just before the 2021 postseason, stepping into an off-field job after spending nearly a decade leading Jacksonville State. Clemson brought him in as a special assistant to the offense, and his background as a former head coach gave the staff another experienced voice during a stretch when roles and responsibilities were shifting. After two seasons in that capacity, he transitioned into a senior offensive assistant role in 2024, contributing more directly to the weekly offensive operation.
With Grass set to take over at Samford, there’s a possibility that at least one current assistant could head out as well. Safeties coach Mickey Conn is not expected to return and may pursue a chance to run his own defense elsewhere. Clemson had been preparing for the likelihood of staff movement this offseason, and Grass’s departure is one of the changes that had been on the horizon.
Clemson 4-star safety Kaden Gebhardt commit flips to Ohio State https://t.co/F2fXYG65lCpic.twitter.com/7a7jH4ICXs
— Clemson Wire (@Clemson_Wire) December 3, 2025
Samford announced the hiring Wednesday, bringing Grass back into a position he once held with success at his alma mater. While most of his résumé was established before arriving at Clemson, his four seasons with the Tigers provided stability during a period of turnover on the offensive staff. Now he steps back into a head coaching role while Clemson begins mapping out what its next coaching structure will look like.
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Former Clemson assistant John Grass lands the Samford football HC job
