Peter Woods, Tom Allen, and Clemson’s Renewed Championship Drive
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For nearly a decade, Clemson’s defense was one of college football’s most feared units — fast, physical, and unrelenting. Under Brent Venables, the Tigers forged an identity built on dominance. And for a moment, it seemed the torch had been seamlessly passed to Wes Goodwin. That is, until last season.
The Tigers plummeted to No. 69 in total defense, surrendering 374 yards per game — a stark contrast to their top-10 finish in 2023. The dropoff was as unexpected as it was uncharacteristic for a program that prides itself on defensive excellence.
Peter Woods, a rising junior defensive tackle and former freshman All-American, said the regression is in the past, but it continues to motivate them.
“My main focus now is just getting better, getting this new defense, and getting this new install," Woods stated this spring. "Just trusting the plan and trusting the technique that my coaches are teaching me. But obviously, you don't want to forget the past. We also don't want to dwell on it too much. And that's kind of what we are about — just remembering where we messed up and using that as fuel to fix it.”
Enter Tom Allen, the fiery, faith-driven former Penn State defensive coordinator and Indiana head coach who was hired to resurrect the program's defensive identity. Allen, known for his intense energy and emotional sideline presence, has quickly made an impression in Tiger Town.
“He’s a big man of faith,” noted Woods from his initial conversation with Allen. “I talked a lot about my relationship with God. And we have that in common. We kind of just hit it off from there and started talking about my family and ways that I can help this team in a leadership role.”
That first meeting, Woods said, set the tone for what’s become a transparent, mutual-respect dynamic between player and coach.
“He's just a real clean-cut guy, straight to the point, and you can respect that,” Woods said of Allen, who led the Nittany Lions to a No. 7 ranking in total defense. “You're hoping that he's going to get his job done and put you in a great position. And he's hoping that I'm going to get my job done and put him in a great position. So, feeding off each other and understanding that we have a player/coach relationship. I just appreciate Coach Allen for keeping that transparent.”
Allen’s contagious energy has swept through Clemson’s spring practices. Just ask linebacker Wade Woodaz, who shared that Allen once tackled redshirt freshman cornerback Corian Gipson after a pass breakup in February. For Woods, that kind of enthusiasm makes a real difference.
“Energy and effort and all those different components that make you great players and coaches are contagious,” he said. “Maybe I’m not having the day I want before practice, and I see him headbutting Wade Woodaz during stretches. I'm immediately gonna wake up like, ‘Okay, let’s go, we got work to do.’ Coach Allen’s got the energy — and I need to match that. He’s been a great leader for us, and very easy to follow. He’s been huge for me on my leadership journey.”
Woods had a solid sophomore season, posting 32 tackles, 8.5 for loss, and three sacks across 11 games while rotating between defensive tackle and end. He missed three games due to a leg injury, and days after the Tigers 24-38 loss to No. 3 Texas in the College Football Playoff, there were rumors the Alabaster, AL native might look elsewhere — namely, his home-state school Alabama — in the transfer portal.
Woods addressed those rumors directly.
“Right after the last season, I was trying to figure out how to get better for this season and help us get to a national championship,” he said. “I do believe that is attainable this year. And so my thoughts have not gone off this team or anywhere else in Alabama. Rumors are rumors. People [are] just doing their job. I'm doing mine as well.”
With 16 starters returning and a re-energized staff, the Tigers appear inspired to make a run in 2025. National analysts have taken notice -- even program critic Paul Finebaum host of The Paul Finebaum Show -- and so has the locker room.
“100 percent,” Woods said when asked if a national title is on the table. “If that's not the feeling on your team, what are you in it for? I would hope that's the feeling on every team.”
If Clemson’s defense can channel the energy of Allen, the leadership of Woods, and the pain of last season’s missteps, the Tigers may be ready to roar back onto the national stage — and not just as ACC contenders.