Tom Allen feels role at Clemson is the right place at the right time

Tom Allen says family played a key factor in his decision to come to Clemson.

Grayson Mann - Staff Writer - Wednesday, January 15 2025

Tom Allen entered the Smart Family Media Center grounds with a clear thought in mind.

He’s meant to be here.

Allen proclaimed he’s a loud guy who talks quite fast, but one thing was clear to understand about Clemson’s new defensive coordinator: he feels like he’s in the right spot at the right time.

When Dabo Swinney drew up his list of the ideal candidates, consulting NFL and college reps to receive feedback on who his next choice could be, almost every contender reached out to let him know they were interested.

Well, all except one.

Allen was in the midst of the run at Penn State in the College Football Playoff, and wasn’t necessarily looking for a new role.

However, for the right ingredients, the new Clemson defensive coordinator was definitely willing to listen.

“I really appreciated coach for reaching out,” Allen said. “Like I said, I wasn’t expecting this. He (Swinney) did mention something that was a major part of this, which was faith and family. That is a big deal to me, and the culture that coach (Swinney) has created here is well-known in the coaching profession.”

Not only was the respect that Swinney generates a major selling point, but also the idea of being close to his family was incredibly significant.

Allen’s two daughters reside in the Carolinas, with one of his daughters expecting a child within the coming weeks.

The chance to work for Swinney, someone he aligns with on his values, and be close to his family, was tough to pass up.

Another part of the intrigue about what made Clemson the right space was where the program is right now.

He believes that the Tigers’ national championship pedigree was something that stood out, joining the team after the first playoff appearance in over four years. Allen thinks that many programs across the country make it their mission to win championships, but few are actually capable of achieving that goal in any given year.

He says that Swinney’s Tigers have that shot right now, and Allen will be crucial in getting Clemson back to those moments.

“To be able to be at a place that has the expectation of playing in the National Championship and winning that game,” Allen said. “Everyone can say they want to get to that point, but that’s not reality. There are the programs out there that have that opportunity, and Penn State was one of them, and so is Clemson.”

Allen says that it wasn’t a shock to those close to him that he decided to land at a spot like Clemson, with everything aligning at the right place at the right time.

Now, the new defensive coordinator will be tasked with restoring Clemson’s defense to a spot of excellence.

If Allen can live up to the billing, it won’t be a shock to many when the Tigers win and find consistency in the postseason once again.