Ben Boulware was raised a Clemson Tiger, played as a Clemson Tiger, and now returns to coach the Clemson Tigers. After initially joining the staff in a volunteer capacity last season, Boulware is set to take on a much larger role as the team’s linebackers coach for the 2025 season.
During Clemson’s media availability on Tuesday, Boulware grew emotional while reflecting on his journey and what this opportunity means to him.
“I would say super thankful and appreciative of Coach Swinney,” Boulware said. “I’m well aware that situations like this and C.J. Spiller, those don’t happen a lot. So, one, just very thankful for [Swinney] for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to lead the linebacker room.”
“But yeah… I’m gonna cry. I’m gonna drink my coffee so I don’t cry,” Boulware added. “But I would say, man, it’s full circle for me. It was cool. Like, it was really cool.”
A standout linebacker during his playing days, Boulware started for two seasons, tallying 352 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, five interceptions, and 8.5 sacks over 53 games. In 2016, he won the Jack Lambert Award as the nation’s top linebacker, earned second-team All-America honors, and was named first-team All-ACC.
His legacy was cemented when he helped lead Clemson to its second national championship and was named the game’s Most Valuable Defensive Player.
Boulware signed with the Carolina Panthers following the 2017 NFL Draft and spent the offseason and training camp with the team. Once his playing career was over, he became an entrepreneur, opening multiple training facilities across South Carolina.
Back on the sidelines, Boulware credits his time in business with making the transition to coaching a smooth one
Yes, it’s been a couple years since I’ve been in ball, but over the past couple years in life, I’ve done a lot of leading people in our business, having 70 employees. Leadership is leadership and leading people is leading people, and communicating is communicating, and holding people to a higher standard and demanding it – whether it’s in this or whether you’re a doctor – leading people and demanding excellence, that is transcendent amongst many professions.
“So, I think that’s for me, yeah, I haven’t ridden that bike in a couple years. But over the past couple years, I’ve been learning how to change the hell out of a tire, and I can go ride that bike. I did it in spring, and I’m going to hop on it in a couple weeks and ride it for miles. It’s allowed the transition to be super smooth.”
Clemson fans and players alike are thrilled to have a familiar face back on staff — someone who knows what it takes to win — as the Tigers gear up for another run at an ACC Championship, and possibly more.
