Reports: Penn State's Tom Allen Targeted as Clemson's New Defensive Coordinator

Clemson’s pursuit of their new defensive coordinator has taken quite a turn as Penn State's Tom Allen has emerged as the Tigers’ top target. The move would bring a proven leader and defensive architect to Tiger Town, as Allen would step into the role vacated by Wes Goodwin, with whom Clemson parted ways earlier this month.

Allen, 54, just finished his first season as the defensive coordinator at Penn State, where he guided the Nittany Lions to the College Football Playoff Semifinals. Under his direction, Penn State’s defense became a cornerstone of the team’s success, showcasing Allen’s trademark ability to build fast, disciplined, and physical units.

This past season, Penn State ranked 8th nationally in scoring defense, giving up just 16.5 points per game, and was 7th in the nation in total defense, yielding 294.7 yards per contest. The Nittany Lions gave up just over 100 yards per game on the ground, which was also in the Top 10 in that catagory.

Allen arrived at State College after a stint as head coach for Indiana, where he was named the National Coach of the Year by the 2020 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).

Allen’s name has been mentioned by many speculating what direction Dabo Swinney might go with this hire along with others, including the Denver Broncos’ Defensive Pass Game Coordinator and Defensive Backs coach Jim Leonhard.