Clemson recruiting moves fast — stay locked in with us!
100% independent. 110% Clemson.
Owned and operated by a 2002 Clemson graduate.
👉 Unlock THREE months of CST+ for just $1.00
Change was inevitable after a season in which Clemson’s secondary became a liability.
Under head coach Dabo Swinney and defensive coordinator Tom Allen, the Tigers have attacked that issue head-on, starting with a complete overhaul of the safeties room, both in personnel and structure, following a 2025 campaign that saw Clemson surrender 251.2 passing yards per game, ranking 119th nationally.
The shift began in December with the dismissal of defensive passing game coordinator/safeties coach Mickey Conn and continued with the elevation of former Clemson standout Nolan Turner from defensive analyst and assistant safeties coach to full-time safeties coach.
Turner, who played for the Tigers from 2016 to 2021, is now at the center of a collaborative coaching model Allen believes will fix the communication breakdowns that plagued the unit.
Allen’s son, Thomas Allen, now serves as defensive pass game coordinator. Former Clemson linebacker Corico Wright handles the nickelbacks after coaching cornerbacks at Delaware. Veteran head coach Mike Houston has joined as a volunteer defensive assistant, while former Tigers and NFL standout Jayron Kearse is working as a student coach.
It’s a collection of voices Allen intentionally brings together in unified secondary meetings — safeties, corners and nickels in the same room — to build cohesion and improve communication.
“Last year, one of our weaknesses, was the performance of that group, and I expect it to be one of our strengths,” Allen said. “A big part of that is communication. So, we have been massively emphasizing that, and the coaches are responsible for the signals on the field. The guys get to each other for our checks and adjustments, and then just the obvious verbal communication, in which was a big issue with a lot of mistakes that we had.”
The overhaul comes alongside significant roster turnover.
Clemson lost starting safeties Khalil Barnes and Ricardo Jones, the team leader in interceptions with six, to the SEC, with Barnes now at Georgia and Jones at Vanderbilt. Their departures forced Allen to lean heavily on the transfer portal to inject experience and production into the room.
He landed his top targets in juniors Corey Myrick from Southern Miss and Jerome Carter from Old Dominion.
Myrick posted 92 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and a forced fumble in 2025, while Carter, a second-team All-Sun Belt selection, recorded 75 tackles and a school-record six interceptions.
“I think the production piece was a big deal to be able to get guys that played a lot of football,” Allen said. “Jerome was a guy that had a lot of interceptions, a lot of production. I love, just the way Corey ran. He came here right away [and] ran fast, right out of the gate when we tested him.”
Early returns in spring practice have reinforced Allen’s confidence.
“So, it’s the length and speed piece that I love so much, but it’s also the passionate, competitive guys,” he said.
The new additions join a developing in-house option in rising senior Ronan Hanafin, whose transition from wide receiver to safety last season provided flashes of promise. Hanafin finished with 72 tackles, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and an interception across 13 games, including five starts.
“I’d say, I’m so encouraged by his confidence that he brought with him from laying such a great foundation,” Allen said. “Obviously, growing through some mistakes and learning a new system, learning a new position, learning how to play defense at a high level.”
As Clemson moves through spring, Allen has already identified Myrick, Carter, and Hanafin at the top of the depth chart.
“At this point, right now, those three guys, are top three,” he said. “They’re all got length, they all can run, and they’re all physical. They can all cover. So, you got to have guys that can cover. And so, we obviously don’t always play man, but we need to be able to play man.”
Competition, however, remains wide open behind them.
“We got several guys that are also right on the brink of being in that mix, too,” Allen added. “So, it’s an exciting group.”
