This January will be a little different for Clemson recruiting.
For the past several years, the Tigers have hosted the Elite Retreat, one of their biggest recruiting events of the year, in the month of January. The staff always likes to host some of the most high-profile recruiting targets at that event and this year’s Elite Retreat was originally scheduled for January 25.
Now the outing, which is exclusively for members of the 2026 class, will be pushed back. The Clemson Insider has learned that instead of holding it in January, the Elite Retreat is now planned for March 8. The reason given was to ensure Dabo Swinney had a new defensive coordinator in place ahead of the event.
Last Monday, Swinney officially announced that Wes Goodwin would not return as the Tigers’ defensive coordinator in 2025. With the event so close, Swinney thought it best to push the date back to ensure he had a replacement hired.
Several recruits that originally confirmed their plans to be on hand for the earlier date have now told TCI they will still attend the event in March. Here are the names confirmed to be on hand for the Elite Retreat on March 8.
- 4-star OL Carter Scruggs
- 4-star OL Grant Wise
- 4-star OL Bear McWhorter
- 4-star OL Desmond Green
4-star OL Maxwell Riley told TCI that due to his track schedule, he would not be able to make in on March 8, so he is still planning to visit on January 25. Riley has talked about making a decision as early as next month so that would be a big visit for him.
This is a pretty big change for Clemson when it comes to the recruiting side of things. Again, the Tigers will usually hold the Elite Retreat in January, followed by a second big junior day in March.
If the staff is able to get most of the recruits in for the later date, maybe it doesn’t impact the class all that much. Most of these players won’t be making decisions until after June officials anyways.
Clemson also already has five players committed in the 2026 recruiting class.
- 4-star QB Tait Reynolds
- 4-star CB Shavar Young Jr.
- 3-star QB Brock Bradley
- 3-star OL Braden Wilmes
- 3-star TE Tayveon Wilson
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