Penn State defensive coordinator and former Indiana head coach Tom Allen is a target for Clemson’s coordinator job, multiple sources confirmed to The Athletic on Monday morning.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney fired Wes Goodwin last week after the Tigers regressed defensively during the 2024 season. Clemson ranked No. 8 nationally in total defense in 2023 — Goodwin’s second as coordinator — but dropped to No. 69 in 2024. Clemson was particularly vulnerable on the ground this season, allowing 160.6 rushing yards per game (85th) and 4.7 yards per carry (99th).
The 54-year-old Allen joined coach James Franklin’s Penn State staff in December 2023 after eight years at Indiana, including seven as the head coach prior to his November 2023 firing. The Nittany Lions ranked No. 7 nationally in total defense this season and came one game short of playing for the national championship. Star defensive end Abdul Carter is “absolutely” expected to be in the mix for the first pick in this year’s NFL Draft, according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler.
Abdul Carter will absolutely be in the No. 1 overall mix. https://t.co/2J7Kkj6J4u
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) January 10, 2025
The Tigers were the model of defensive dominance when Brent Venables ran the show for Swinney from 2012-21 and Clemson made six Playoff appearances and won two national championships. Goodwin was promoted to run the defense after Venables departed for Oklahoma.
Allen, if he takes the job, will be inheriting plenty of talent. Clemson is set to return star defensive linemen Peter Woods and T.J. Parker as well as former five-star linebacker Sammy Brown.
Swinney said in a statement announcing Goodwin’s firing that he hoped to have a new coordinator named “by the end of the month or sooner.”
Should Allen leave, Penn State in 2025 will be playing under its fourth defensive coordinator in five seasons. Brent Pry left after the 2021 season to become the head coach at Virginia Tech. Manny Diaz replaced him and stayed for two seasons before taking over as Duke’s head coach. Allen was hired shortly after and seemed to be a solid long-term solution.
Franklin said multiple times that staff continuity is one of the biggest reasons for Penn State’s success. Allen taking the Clemson job, after his son joined him as a defensive analyst in State College this year, would certainly be a bit surprising.
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