South Carolina officially welcomed Randy Clements as its new offensive line coach during a Friday morning press conference, giving fans their first extended look at the coach—better known as “Clem”—and his vision. Head coach Shane Beamer also shared insight into why Clements was the clear choice for the position.
Clements’ Opening Remarks
Clements began by clearing up how he prefers to be addressed, immediately setting a relaxed tone.
“Everybody calls me Clem, so if you say Randy, I may look around and think you’re talking to somebody else,” he said. He echoed offensive coordinator Kendal Briles’ enthusiasm about joining the program, emphasizing how welcomed he felt from the moment he arrived.
“I’ve never felt more welcome at a place than when I walked in here. The welcome that Coach Beamer and his staff gave us was just second to none,” Clements said. “Very appreciative of that. Excited about the journey. It’s going to be a grind. It’s going to be a day-by-day process. We’re going to work every day as hard as we can to make this program one of the most competitive in the toughest league in America. And I can’t wait for the opportunity.”
Clements also made sure to acknowledge his wife, Polly, for her support.
“But so blessed to have this lady right there, Miss Polly, and that’s what her students always call her, but she’s kept me on the right path for a long time. But I can’t wait to get started.”
Bowl Game Status
When asked whether he would remain with TCU for its upcoming bowl game, Clements gave a quick response.
“Same thing for me (as Briles),” he said—confirming he will not coach in the bowl.
Assessing the Offensive Line Room
Clements said he has familiarity with some of South Carolina’s offensive linemen from past recruiting efforts but emphasized that everyone will start with a clean slate.
“I have recruited a few of them. But as a group, we’ll be getting to know each other’s situation for us,” he said. “I want to come here with a fresh mindset, you know, give everybody a chance to prove themselves and see where everybody fits.”
He stressed the importance of cohesion across the position group.
“O-line, you got five guys playing at once, but you got to have more than that, and they all got to fit together and work together,” Clements said. “So, it’ll be a grind, a daily process.”
Why Beamer and Briles Chose Clements
Beamer explained that once Kendal Briles was hired as offensive coordinator, it was important to give him freedom to assemble his staff.
“Certainly, as you go through this process, when you hire an offensive coordinator, you want to give him the flexibility to shape the staff as he wants,” Beamer said, noting that Mike Furrey and Shawn Elliott will remain on staff.
According to Beamer, Briles was unwavering in his desire to bring Clements with him.
“All along, Kendal said there was one offensive line coach that he was interested in bringing, and there wasn’t a bunch of guys that he wanted to talk to,” Beamer said. “There was one offensive line coach that he said, ‘I need to have, and that’s Randy Clements.’”
Beamer admitted he didn’t previously know Clements, but turned to a trusted source for guidance.
“I did not know him at all. I made some phone calls. I called Mack Brown, who he worked for at the University of North Carolina most recently,” Beamer said. The feedback from Brown was decisive.
“And you guys know the respect I have for Coach Brown, and the feedback he gave me on Coach Clements was all I needed to hear.”
After spending more time with Clements, Beamer said the endorsement quickly made sense.
“Proven, again, great leadership, great person, proven offensive line coach at the highest level, done it in multiple conferences, done a great job of recruiting and developing players, and is really excited about this opportunity to be in Columbia,” Beamer said.
Beamer closed by welcoming Clements and his wife to Columbia.
“So we’re super excited to welcome Coach Clements and his wife, Polly, here to Columbia.”
