Kobe McCloud Sees 'Special Group' With Clemson's Linebacker Room

One of Clemson’s biggest storylines over the course of this offseason involved the linebacker room. However, fifth-year player Kobe McCloud sees a united group entering 2026.

McCloud is expected to be the program’s starter along with All-ACC standout Sammy Brown in the middle of the field, looking to tighten up the issues of the first season under defensive coordinator Tom Allen. However, for the remainder of the group, the graduate player has seen strides made by everybody in the room.

“We put in so much work this summer, and I think that just led to how we’ve been practicing each and every day at camp,” McCloud said. “All the guys are getting after it. It’s a special group.”

The improvement in the room has come from bonding over the course of the offseason. McCloud has helped lead the charge in that aspect, looking to be more of an apparent leader within the Tigers’ defense next season. The linebacker believes that it’s more than a position group now after building chemistry.

“I’m glad to call this like a brotherhood more than just a position room. It’s more of a brotherhood,” he said. “We kind of established that in the summer, just us guys hanging out, pool days.”

“I feel like that just brought our bond so much closer, and that really transitioned to the field because we all trust each other. We all push each other, and that’s what’s special about our group.”

The built chemistry will be on display early for the linebacker room, especially with going to LSU to begin the 2026 season. Clemson looks to avenge the loss from a year ago inside Memorial Stadium, and it will have to slow down a high-powered Tiger offense that is led by Lane Kiffin and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr.

For the upset to be considered, communication will be the keystone behind it.

“Everybody got to be on the same page,” McCloud said. “We've got to move as one heartbeat. So, everybody got to communicate at a high level. I think that’s what brings successful defenses together.”

As for the defense as a whole, the Tampa native has seen no complacency among the rest of the unit. Clemson enters 2026 with lower expectations than ever before, but perhaps it is a blessing in disguise to be a motivator to begin the year.

For now, though, it’s all about the work before the game itself, and McCloud sees the Clemson defense with an underdog mentality to begin the year.

“Everybody’s keeping their head down. Nobody’s saying too much,” he said. “We’re just working, you know, just inside out.”

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