Clemson Tigers Want To Focus on Controlling Line of Scrimmage Defensively

The Clemson Tigers want to get back to the basics on defense heading into next year

Clemson football head coach Dabo Swinney, left, and newly hired football defensive coordinator Tom Allen, formerly at Penn State University, speak with media in the Smart Family Media Center at Clemson University in Clemson, S.C. Wednesday, January 15, 2024. | Ken Ruinard - staff / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Clemson Tigers have had a very busy offseason after a year in which the program achieved a lot.

After a bad year in 2023 by their standards, Clemson bounced back and won the ACC title in 2024.

While the team had a lot of success, they were by no means perfect. On the defensive side of the ball, the Tigers didn’t live up to expectations and that resulted in them parting ways with defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin.

It didn’t take long for the program to find his replacement once they were able to, and it was quite the splash.

The hiring of Tom Allen from the Penn State Nittany Lions was significant for Clemson considering the success he had leading one of the best defenses in the country last year.

Dabo Swinney recently spoke about Allen’s mindset on defense matching up well with his, and that is to control the line of scrimmage.

“That is who we have always been,” Swinney said to The Clemson Insider. “Again, that is what I grew up around, won a national championship as a player, and to me, you have to be multiple within that.”

The new defensive coordinator will be keeping in place the same 4-2-5 defense the Tigers used last season, which will be good for familiarity. However, he wants Clemson to play fast and loose on the field to control things.

Last year with Penn State, they were one of the best in the country against the run, ranking ninth in rushing defense and third in yards per carry. Also, his defense was able to get after the quarterback with 44 sacks on the season, which ranked fifth nationally.

Since expectations are so high for the Tigers, they need their defense to produce at a higher level and get off the field more often. Stopping the run was a disaster for most of the year, and it resulted in Cade Klubnik sitting on the bench for far too long.

With one of the best offenses on paper heading into 2025, improvements by the defense, especially against the run, could result in the program being a championship contender.

Allen appears to be an excellent hire for Clemson based on his success with the Nittany Lions in 2024. If he can turn this defense into something similar to what Penn State had, the Tigers are going to be going very far in the CFP next season.