It might seem odd to see a defensive coordinator for a team that reached the College Football Playoff semifinals to take a new job.

Dabo Swinney’s philosophy is “Big people beat little people.” Translation. Swinney wants to dominate the lines of scrimmage, which is what drew him to former Penn

Tom Allen carries a wealth of coaching experience, dating back to 1992. He will be tasked with reviving Clemson's defense after a rough 2024 season.

The Clemson Tigers shook the college football world this week with the announcement of their new defensive coordinator being hired from one of the best units in the country. Clemson made things official on Tuesday with former Indiana Hoosiers head coach and Penn State Nittany Lions defensive architect Tom Allen to take over the Tigers defense and replace the fired Wes Goodwin.

Tom Allen is another well-paid hire for Clemson coach Dabo Swinney's staff, which includes assistants Garrett Riley, Matt Luke, Chris Rumph, and Nick Eason.

Clemson Athletics and Dabo Swinney officially announced Tom Allen will be the new defensive Coordinator. Allen joins the Tigers following a short stint at Penn State.

The Clemson Tigers recently made a massive change to their coaching staff, moving on from defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin. He was defensive coordinator/linebackers coach for three seasons, but Dabo Swinney wanted to make a change after a disappointing 2024 season on that side of the ball.