"Just 46, not 47": Wes Goodwin shares his thoughts on Clemson’s blitz package

Wes Goodwin wants his defense to play fast and free.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sun Mar 20 08:00:06 GMT-04:00 2022

CLEMSON – Brent Venables, known around college football as a man who never met a blitz he didn’t like, stood on the sidelines during last Wednesday’s scrimmage and watched his former protégé do his own thing.

Venables is the former Clemson defensive coordinator who left the Tigers back in December to become the head coach at the University of Oklahoma. He is known far and wide for his exotic blitz packages, the pressure coming from every spot on the defense and coming at any time.

Taking his place at Clemson is Wes Goodwin, who is known by those who know football as an up-and-coming young coach who will take much of what he’s learned at both his college and NFL stops and apply it to the Clemson defense. That includes what he’s learned from Venables, who was in town and watching because he still has a son on the team (safety Tyler Venables) and two girls who are in school locally.

Venables watched the practice from a far corner and didn’t interrupt Goodwin’s work, dashing out the front doors before it all came to an end. Goodwin admitted the two didn’t speak.

“I’ve been preparing for this opportunity for a long time. It’s my time to go do it,” Goodwin said. “He’s got a million things on his plate. I’m trying to recruit the top guys in the country to play defense for us. I’m trying to coach our guys to be the No. 1 defense in the country.”

Members of the Clemson offense have, in the past, noted that it is hard installing the offense because of the number of blitzes that Venables would run during a practice or scrimmage. New offensive line coach Thomas Austin noted a week or so ago that it’s been easier to get the offense installed and take a look at the players who need development because Venables isn’t there to call “47 different blitzes” during one practice.

Goodwin said 47 isn’t the right number.

“Just 46. Not 47,” Goodwin joked before adding, “We’ve got some stuff BV (Venables) don’t know about.”

Goodwin, who has said he wants his talented players to play fast, doesn’t believe that many blitzes are needed to be successful.

“Third-down wise, you can’t call 40 blitzes, so there’s no need to have 40 blitzes in the game plan or whatever,” Goodwin said. “I’m a real situationally thinking, structured mind. First and second down, this is what you need. Third down, this is what you need, red zone, this is what you need. Two minute, this is what you need. And then week to week, you just build off your staples and whatnot.

“At the end of the day, I don’t feel like there’s a perfect call. I just want to see guys play fast, physical, violent, relentless and pursue the ball. They can cover up a multitude of bad calls. I can promise you that.”

When Clemson’s defense has struggled in recent seasons, it’s been because the defenders have been caught in a bad blitz or because the play didn’t get in to the defenders in time for them to get set. Goodwin wants to streamline the process and make it easier on everyone to get lined up and know where they need to go.

“I’m a really structured thinker with my daily installs,” Goodwin said. “Our fundamentals match what we’re putting in that day. We’ve got enough defense in. It’s not simplified schematically, per se. It’s just simplified from a teaching progression and making things easier to understand so guys can line up, play fast, get their eyes in the right spot, play physical with relentless effort, those sorts of things.”

Goodwin has a message for those that think the Venables way is the only way.

“We know ball, as well. Not taking a shot at anybody,” Goodwin said. “We are going to utilize what has made us successful all those years. But we have to be our own people and do what we feel is best and what we know defensively.

“It’s going to be fun. You won’t be disappointed, I promise you.”