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Why Dabo Swinney believes new DC Tom Allen is key piece for Clemson football to win CFP
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- Why Dabo Swinney believes new DC Tom Allen is key piece for Clemson football to win CFP
CLEMSON — Dabo Swinney is confident Clemson football has found the right person to help it win a national championship.
The Tigers hired former Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen in January to be the defensive coordinator, replacing Wes Goodwin , who was fired on Jan. 6. Clemson was 50th in the nation in scoring defense (23.4 points) and 69th in total defense (374.1 yards) last season. Its biggest flaw was the run defense, allowing 160.6 yards per game (84th).
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Under Allen, the Nittany Lions were No. 8 in nation in scoring defense (16.5 points) and No. 7 in total defense (294.8 yards) in FBS last year. Perhaps most significant, Penn State was ninth against the run, allowing 101.9 yards. Allen's intensity, personality and defensive prowess has Swinney eyeing another national championship.
"He's going to help us continue to take more steps to get another one of them banners," Swinney said Wednesday at Clemson's 2025 recruiting wrap-up at Poe Indoor Practice Facility. "They don't give them away. You can't go down to the Dollar General and get one of them. They don't come at a discount."
Clemson made the 12-team College Football Playoff for the first time in three years this past season after winning the ACC championship, which gave it an automatic bid. It lost to Texas in the first round but will return every end-of-year starter with eligibility remaining, including quarterback Cade Klubnik .
Allen was one of the last critical pieces the Tigers needed to retool for a run for the national championship. He said Wednesday that the three things he believes in on defense are tackling, takeaways and relentless effort.
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"That's our DNA on defense," Allen said. "It's simple things to me, but it makes the difference."
Allen will install his philosophy when Clemson begins spring practice on Feb. 28, which leads to its spring game on April 5 (1 p.m. ET) at Memorial Stadium. The Tigers will begin the 2025 season at home against LSU on Aug. 30.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football: Why Dabo Swinney believes DC Tom Allen is crucial
