Clemson Football’s Newest Defensive Staff Shows Promise for Upcoming Season

In January, the Clemson Tigers announced that Tom Allen — who previously worked with the Penn State Nittany Lions — would be joining the Tigers’ program to serve as their defensive coordinator.

With decades of coaching experience under his belt, Allen was expected to be a valuable resource for the team.

In fact, head coach Dabo Swinney described Allen as “a great football coach and a great leader of men,” as stated in Clemson’s announcement.

Allen appears to be meeting the high expectations that were set early on.

Over the years, he has become a wealth of knowledge and has plenty of experience to help lead this Tigers team to success.

“I think (he has) brought a new level of focus. It’s not so much he’s stressing you on what to do, all this stuff,” said star safety Khalil Barnes, per Ariana Pensy of Tigernet. “He’s been telling us everything before practice. He knows we’re going to make mistakes, but mistakes will (be eliminated). You play fast, you play hard.”

During the annual spring game, the offense dominated the defense with a final score of 33-15.

Following the matchup, the Tigers’ offense was in the spotlight for their impressive victory.

While the defense has some obvious work to do, they are fortunate to be under the leadership of Allen, who will be able to use his expertise to mold the crew.

“We (talk) about tackling every single (day), just putting the focus on everything and just kind of honing in instead of what to do, just how to tackle,” Barnes continued.

He isn’t the only player who is feeling hopeful for their new defensive coordinator.

“He’s brought a lot of juice, and I really love that. He brings a lot of confidence to the team, instills it in us every day that we can do whatever it takes, makes the defense simple for us so we can play fast and play to our strengths, which I love about him,” defensive end T.J. Parker stated, according to Pensy. “I’m happy that I can have my abilities and his coaching abilities together. It’s going to be one hell of a season.”

To have the coaching staff and players all on the same page regarding their new staff addition is telling.

Allen brings some unique traits and knowledge to the table, and Clemson will immensely benefit from his guidance and support.