Clemson Tigers' New Defensive Boss Reveals How he Lost his Front Teeth

New Clemson Tigers defensive coordinator Tom Allen related a story about having his teeth knocked out at a practice earlier in his coaching days.

Clemson defensive coordinator Tom Allen speaks during the Clemson Club football National Signing Day wrap up presented by Clemson Seneca Chick-Fil-A at the Poe Indoor Practice Facility at Clemson University in Clemson, S.C. Feb 5, 2025. / Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Newly-appointed Clemson Tigers defensive coordinator Tom Allen told a story at an event hosted by the Fort Hill Clemson Club which defines toughness. He told a story about how he leads by example and shows that toughness to his players.

Years ago, at a practice when Allen was coaching at Ole Miss, he had his front teeth knocked out at the start of a practice session.

Instead of immediately leaving the field and seeking medical attention, he left his blood on the field and continued the practice session with his unit. Although, he said, he found it difficult to blow his whistle.

Allen was introduced to the crowd and he went and explained how his front teeth were not real.

"My three front teeth are all fake due to that incident," Allen said to the group in comments relayed by tigernet.com. "But the problem was it happened at the start of practice. So had to coach the rest of the practice with no front teeth. Try blowing a whistle with no front teeth, it didn't work so well. But that is true. It's pretty painful. But you do what you got to do."

One of the amusing parts of the story was that it also included current Clemson coach Matt Luke, who was also an Ole Miss assistant at the time. Luke went on to become the Rebels' head coach at one point.

Allen was at the Fort Hill Clemson Club to introduce himself and raise money for the program.

He said that when he came to Clemson to meet with coach Dabo Swinney about the then-open defensive coordinator position, he fell in love with the town, the campus and the program. He knew Clemson was where he belonged.

Allen was the defensive coordinator at Penn State and helped the Nittany Lions reach the College Football Playoff semifinals, which was also the Orange Bowl, where they lost to Notre Dame. Allen wasn't looking for a new opportunity, he said, as Clemson approached him.

Among the Penn State stars Allen coached was projected Top 5 NFL pick Abdul Carter.

Even though he's an Indiana native and was, at one time, the head coach at Indiana, he told the crowd that he enjoys coaching in the south because the fans are so knowledgable. It doesn't always make going to church easy, though.

"I'm getting peppered with questions around the church, which is awesome," Allen said. "That's why you love football here, man. You love great sports."

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