Swinney says it's up to his new hire on calling plays from box or on the field

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CLEMSON -When head coach Dabo Swinney started his search for a new defensive coordinator, he researched to ensure the Tigers hired the right person.

It did not take long for Tom Allen’s name to come up. His defense with Penn State was one of the best in the country. They ranked seventh in total defense and only allowed 101.8 rushing yards per game.

Improving defense against the run game will be critical for Clemson, which allowed an average of 160.6 rushing yards per game last season. Their problems against the run were on full display in the first round of the playoffs, as Texas scored 292 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on the Tigers. Given Allen’s dedication to stopping the run, this should not happen under his watch.

But with every new coach come some basic questions to answer, one of which is where Allen will call the plays—from the box or on the field. However, this is just one of several areas where Allen’s plethora of coaching experiences comes into play.

“I had been on the field for a long time. I started in the box when I was younger calling the defense and so, (Penn State head coach) Coach Franklin and I, we talked about it. He asked me what I thought about it and it really, with the use of the technology, with the iPads now and the communication we have with the sideline, with the mic system with the players on the field,” Allen said. “So, it really was a good fit there. I liked that. I didn’t at first, but it grew on me real fast and I thought we could have a chance to do some good things with that. But, I’m really an on the field kind of guy. So, I don’t know yet.”

Allen’s years of coaching at various levels and positions have taught him the importance of connecting with his players and adjusting to what works for them. This is essential to a winning culture and for any coach to truly know what is best for the unit as a whole. For him, it all comes down to what allows him to call the game best.

“Coach (Swinney) and I have briefly talked about it. We’ll do what’s best for the team at that point. But, at the same time, now that I’ve done both, I can kind of gather all the information,” Allen said. “To me, it’s really more about making sure that we’re getting exactly what we need to be able to get the best call in the game and also make sure that the sideline demeanor and how you handle the ebbs and flows of a game are where it needs to be. So, to be determined for sure and obviously, we’ll make that decision. But, I feel I got the flexibility now to do either or, whatever we feel is best.”

While Allen said it would be a joint decision between him and Coach Swinney, Swinney said that Allen could call plays from anywhere as long as the defense generates stops.

“He can sit in the stands, he can climb the Oculus, he can get up there with the tail wagging on the jumbotron. I could care less as long as we stop them,” Swinney said. “So, he can push that button and talk to them from anywhere. I don’t really care what he wants to do. That’ll be his decision,” Swinney said.

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