How Clemson Plans to Slow Down LSU Tight End Trey'Dez Green

Clemson Football's season opener against LSU is now just two days away, and with preparation week underway, it's time to start game-planning for the opposing Tigers' playmakers.

Over the past few days, one familiar name has stood out in those conversations: Trey'Dez Green.

On Wednesday, head coach Dabo Swinney spoke to the media about how Clemson plans to contain the 6-foot-7, 237-pound tight end, emphasizing chaos at the line of scrimmage.

"You better find a way to get to the quarterback," he said. "He's a problem. I mean, he's a big, long guy. You got to do a great job at the line of scrimmage. If you try to press him, and if you play any type of coverage, you've got to stay on top of him. He's a handful. But, you know, we got to not let him have just a bunch of free access, that's for sure. He's a great player."

Green, arguably the best player at his position entering 2026, has already given Clemson fans a moment they'd rather forget: last season, he hauled in the game-winning jump-ball touchdown that gave LSU a 17-10 lead the Tigers never relinquished.

It's now clear Clemson and its staff are making him a focal point of their defensive game plan.

Star linebacker Sammy Brown was also asked about Green, pointing to his ability to high-point 50/50 balls and noting the tight end's basketball background, as he played power forward for LSU during the 2024-25 season.

"He's just a really big target. If you've got to throw a 50/50 ball, you're probably going to throw it to him just because of how big he is," Brown emphasized. "He can go up and get it. I think he played basketball at LSU a little bit. So, you know, he's got the high-point ability, so it'll be a really good threat and a really good opportunity for us."

Second-year defensive coordinator Tom Allen was the most vocal about Green of the three, essentially combining Swinney's and Brown's points into one, saying the traits Green possesses "make it challenging without question."

"Yeah, it's tough. I mean, when you're 6'7, you know, 240 plus pounds — he's basically a power forward out there, and he was a basketball player, too. It's kind of those traits that make it challenging without question," Allen relayed. "So, you got to know where they're going to position him, and to have a great plan for him in every snap and every situation. But, yeah, [there's] a unique skill set that he brings and elite athleticism, elite height and jumping ability."

Allen further emphasized that the defense will also need to know where he's aligned, detailing that he can be effective anywhere on the field, whether that's as an outside receiver, slot receiver or at his primary position.

In fact, Green totaled more snaps in the slot (230) than at tight end (179) in 2025, while additionally lining up wide on 57 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

"So, yeah, that's another obvious one to me that you have to deal with, and we got to have a great plan for him, and you got to know where he's aligned," he explained. "He's a guy that can line up out at wide receiver and be effective, be a slot, be effective and obviously be in the core and be effective. We've played against him and didn't win all those matchups last year. We got to find a way to win those this year."

As mentioned, entering this year, Green is regarded as one of, if not the, best players at his position after posting 33 receptions for 433 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2025. Most recently, ESPN's Jordan Reid mocked him at No. 13 overall to the Minnesota Vikings in the 2027 NFL Draft.

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