CLEMSON — A former South Carolina defensive coordinator is joining the Clemson Football staff.

Lorenzo Ward, who was a Gamecocks assistant coach and defensive coordinator from 2009-’15, has joined the Clemson Football program. There is no official word on what his role will be on Dabo Swinney’s staff, but The Clemson Insider learned Ward’s position will likely be similar to the one Ted Roof held at Clemson in 2021 as a defensive analyst and/or adviser.

Ward has spent the last five seasons as the defensive coordinator at Chattanooga. Prior to that he was at Louisville, where he served as the defensive backs coach and as associate head coach. He was at Louisville for two seasons prior to going to Chattanooga.

While at South Carolina, Ward coached under Steve Spurrier. He was the Gamecocks’ defensive coordinator from 2009-’15. He was a part of a South Carolina staff that helped the program have the best four-season run in the school’s history from 2010-’13, including three straight 11-2 campaigns from 2011-’13.

A former player at Alabama, Ward was a graduate assistant coach on the Alabama staff during Swinney’s junior year with the Crimson Tide. Ward is entering his 33 year as a football coach. He also spent two years as an assistant coach for the NFL’s Oakland Raiders.

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