Penn State's Tom Allen to Clemson as Defensive Coordinator

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Tom Allen will join Dabo Sweeney’s Clemson Tigers staff as co-defensive coordinator next fall, serving with Mickey Conn. This past year, Allen was the Penn State co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. 

Penn State Resume

Penn State, under Allen, posted as one of the best defenses in the country this past year and once again was a huge strength for a Nittany Lions team that in 2023 was also one of the top defenses under now Duke head coach Manny Diaz. In 2024, Allen’s defense allowed only 295 total yards per game. Against the pass, Penn State allowed just 193 yards, and on the ground, teams gained an average of 102 yards. 

As for Clemson’s defense, they struggled as teams gained an average of 374 yards of total offense per game, gave up an average of 213 yards through the air per game and a total of 161 yards on the ground per game. Clemson moved on from Cronn’s fellow co-defensive coordinator over the past couple of years with Wes Goodwin. Back when Clemson was appearing in the College Football Playoff, Sweeny’s defense was a big reason for the Tigers' success and now Sweeney hopes that Allen will return the defensive identity to Death Valley. Allen brings with him 14 years of experience coaching at the FBS level as a defensive head coach and as a head coach from 2017-2023 with the Indiana Hoosiers. 

Right Under Their Nose

Now as for Penn State, this has been an interesting past couple of days with players declaring for the NFL Draft and others making surprise returns to Happy Valley, but losing Allen was a replacement that most Nittany Lions fans weren’t expecting to endure.

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Allen’s replacement could be right in front of head coach James Franklin’s eyes in Anthony Poindexter. Poindexter has been serving on Franklin’s staff since 2021 when he was hired as a co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach. Poindexter has coached current NFL talented safeties in KJ Winston, Zakee Wheatley and Jaylen Reed, and also former Nittany Lions who are currently in the NFL such as Jaquan Brisker (Chicago Bears) and Jay’ir Brown (San Francisco 49ers). Poindexter has all the tools to make him a great asset to be promoted as the lone defensive coordinator.