Clemson's Tom Allen Sees a Spark off the Edge as a Potential Answer for D-Line Struggles

After the Clemson Tigers suffered a 35-24 loss against SMU in an ACC Championship rematch this past weekend, one of the few bright spots on a struggling defense was defensive end Jahiem Lawson.

Despite the unit allowing 429 total yards, 290 through the air and 139 on the ground, Lawson continued to flash his potential off the edge, showing true effort even in defeat.

This past Tuesday, Clemson defensive coordinator Tom Allen spoke to the media, noting that the defensive line is still searching for stability.

“It’s just not being as consistent as I wanted it to be,” Allen said quickly. “The consistent get-off and striking and knock back; playing with that kind of confidence to me is what I really want to see. It’s been inconsistent. That’s where I feel like it’s been – at times – what you want, but not what you want all the time. We have to do a better job during our drill time, individual time and during our technique emphasis. Also, continuing to go against our offensive line more will sharpen each other. That to me is a part of what creates the TFLs and takeaways, is the knock backs you get by your defensive line on the offensive line, consequently disrupting the offensive play and forcing fumbles on the quarterback or running back.”

“It’s not a lack of effort. [The D-Line is] playing hard; if they weren’t, I’d call them out and call it what it was. But I do feel like it’s more about confidence in technique and what we’re doing schematically, and continue to work on it… This is the standard, and we keep chasing after that standard every single day; we don’t let up. You may make modifications to how you do it, but you don’t alter the ultimate goal, which is to be the physical football team that creates takeaways and an elite defense.”

One player who’s beginning to answer that call is Lawson, who’s seen an increased role in recent weeks as Clemson looks to rebuild its defensive identity. Allen went on to praise his impact and said he hopes to get him more snaps than he did against SMU moving forward.

“I think Jahiem [Lawson] should have played more on Saturday,” he stated. “When you look at the snap counts and rep counts, that’s something, obviously, we’ll address.”

The redshirt junior has consistently shown potential, dating back to the 2024 Spring game, where he recorded an interception, a sack, and two tackles for a loss.

Through the first three years of his collegiate career at Clemson, Lawson totaled 26 tackles, 4.5 for a loss, three pass deflections, one sack and one fumble recovery. In 2025, he’s seen a significant jump in playing time on a loaded defensive line and is having a career year in every facet, racking up 16 tackles, five for a loss, 2.5 sacks and two pass deflections through seven games.

“He’s been one of the pleasant surprises in the group in terms of how disruptive he’s been. He’s obviously an undersized guy, but he plays so hard and he’s a really good pass-rusher; he does a great job,” Allen said. “There’s no question his reps need to go up. [I want to] be able to help those guys that we feel like put themselves in position to play more and help us improve our defense.”

For a defense still working to find its rhythm, Lawson’s emergence offers a spark. His energy and disruptive play style reflect the kind of edge Allen wants from his unit; if his snap count continues to rise, so might Clemson’s defensive ceiling.