By PETE IACOBELLI
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Clemson defensive coordinator Kevin Steele won't return to the Atlantic Coast Conference champions next season.
Steele
said Thursday that he had left the Tigers after three seasons for other
coaching opportunities. He and his defense had come under heavy
criticism after allowing a bowl-record 70 points in the Tigers'
embarrassing loss to West Virginia in the Orange Bowl last week.
Clemson's
defense allowed 28 or more points in seven of its final eight games and
fell from 24th last year to 81st in the country in points given up.
"I
have had a great experience at Clemson and feel good about what we have
accomplished the last year three years," Steele said in a statement.
"But there are some other coaching opportunities I wish to pursue at
this time."
Steele was one of coach Dabo Swinney's first hires
after he got the fulltime job at Clemson after the 2008 season. And it
looked like a strong move as the Tigers defense finished in the top 25
nationally in yards allowed and points scored.
That changed
dramatically this season as Clemson gave up more than 29 points a game
and surrendered 28 points or more in seven of its final eight games. The
bottom fell out at the Orange Bowl where the ACC champs hoped to cap
off a bounce back season. Instead, the Tigers appeared lost in stopping
the Mountaineers' attack.
Clemson's offense chipped in to the
blowout with several turnovers that gave West Virginia short fields to
play with. Still, the showing was the last straw for many Tiger fans
already angered by the team's third straight loss to rival South
Carolina.
Swinney thanked Steele for his efforts and wished him well.
"Although
we were inconsistent at times with a young defense this year, overall
we have been one of the best defenses in the country the last three
years" under Steele, Swinney said in the statement.
Clemson's
best showing all year came in two winis over Virginia Tech. The Tigers
held the Hokies to a field goal in a 23-3 victory in Blacksburg, Va.,
the first time Virginia Tech went without a touchdown in a home game in
16 years.
Then the Tigers shut down ACC player of the year David
Wilson in a 38-10 rematch with the Hokies in the ACC championship last
month.
Swinney vowed after the Orange Bowl debacle that he'd fix
the defense the way he upgraded the offense from a year earlier. Swinney
released offensive coordinator Billy Napier and replaced him with Chad
Morris, whose high-flying system helped the Tigers win their first
league crown in 20 years this past fall.
Steele had several
promising young players in last year's recruiting class, highlighted by
linebackers Stephone Anthony and Tony Steward.
While Anthony showed flashes of solid play, Steward was injured earlier in the year and was lost for the season.
Clemson's
defense this fall featured defensive end Andre Branch, who led the ACC
in sacks. Still, Steele struggled to replace the production of 2010 star
Da'Quan Bowers, who led the country with 15 1-2 sacks and won the
Bronko Nagurski and Ted Hendricks awards.
Steele just finished
his 26th season at the college level, which has included stops at
Nebraska and Florida State. He also coached four seasons in the NFL with
the Carolina Panthers.
