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Clemson football, Dabo Swinney part ways with assistants Thomas Austin, Lemanski Hall
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- Clemson football, Dabo Swinney part ways with assistants Thomas Austin, Lemanski Hall
Dabo Swinney is making staff moves in the wake of the 2023 regular season. Swinney fired offensive line coach Thomas Austin and parted ways with defensive ends coach Lemanski Hall, Clemson football announced Thursday.
It's the first time since 2011 that Swinney has fired a non-coordinator assistant coach. That year, he fired running backs coach Andre Powell alongside offensive coordinator Billy Napier.
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Austin spent two seasons as offensive line coach. The former Tigers player spent seven seasons across two stints at Clemson in varying roles on Swinney's staff, including interim tight ends coach in 2021 and an off-field analyst role.
The Clemson offensive line was much-maligned this season. The Tigers ranked 73rd nationally in pass block grade and 95th in run block grade per Pro Football Focus. Clemson gave up 20 sacks, and the Tigers struggled at times to win the line of scrimmage.
Clemson offensive line coach Thomas Austin talks with players during the second day of spring practice at the football Complex in Clemson, S.C. Wednesday, March 8, 2023.
"It is my responsibility as head coach to make difficult decisions that I believe are in the best interest of our football program and the young men that comprise it," Swinney wrote in a statement. "After a few days of deep thought and evaluation, I believe this was a change we needed to make. ... Thomas has been a great representative of Clemson University and Clemson football in every role — as a player, as a support staff member and as a coach."
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No statement from Austin was included in Clemson's release.
Hall became defensive ends coach in 2018 after serving as a defensive analyst for three seasons. He played with Swinney at Alabama in the early '90s.
"Lemanski Hall and I met and had a great conversation about his future and long-term goals both personally and professionally, and after great thought and discussion, we came to a mutual decision for him to seek opportunities to advance his career elsewhere," Swinney wrote. "I am grateful for both his impact here and for his friendship, and I wish him nothing but the best with his next endeavor."
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Hall's defensive end group wasn't considered an area of concern for Clemson this season. Clemson's defense was one of the best in the country in terms of total yards allowed (3,334) and often kept the Tigers in games. Clemson led the ACC in tackles for loss (89) and was sixth in sacks (30).
The defensive ends specifically were led by veterans Xavier Thomas and Justin Mascoll, both of whom had solid seasons. Freshman T.J. Parker had a standout year with five sacks and a team second-best 11 tackles for loss.
Clemson defensive ends coach Lemanski Hall talks near defensive end Myles Murphy (98), left, during the first day of fall football practice at the Allen Reeves Complex in Clemson Friday, August 5, 2022.
A statement from Hall was included in Clemson's release: "I am so grateful and thankful for the opportunity that Clemson has given me over the past nine years. Clemson has been so good to me and my family, and my wife and I want to thank the entire Clemson Family for being such a blessing in our lives. ... I am incredibly proud of what we have been able to accomplish here. I am so thankful for all of the young men that have been in our program, and I hope I've been able to impact them as positively as they have impacted me. I am excited to see what God has in store for me and my family moving forward."
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Christina Long covers the Clemson Tigers for the Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. You can follow her on Twitter @christinalong00 or email her at clong@greenvillenews.com.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Dabo Swinney parts ways with assistants Thomas Austin, Lemanski Hall
