Clemson LBs Rave About New Defensive Coordinator's Energy

CLEMSON, S.C.-- Although he has not coached a single snap of the Clemson Tigers' defense so far, defensive coordinator Tom Allen has won the room over by the way that he leads his group. 

The former Penn State defensive coordinator took over for Wes Goodwin at the coaching position in January, bringing a fire into the Clemson defensive unit ever since during spring practice and the beginning of fall camp. 

Now, the linebacker room has spoken out about Allen’s ability to motivate, analyze and grow the team together. Transfer linebacker Jeremiah Alexander says that his coaching style makes the team want to work harder.

“His energy allows you to want to come to work each and everyday and put everything on the line for him,” Alexander said on Thursday. “He just allows us to play fast and physically, keeping the play calls simple and we are just able to go out there and play ball, not thinking a lot.”

For teammate Wade Woodaz, it’s the attention to detail that Allen provides, criticizing or complimenting about actions. 

“Every single thing is watched and accounted for,” Woodaz said. “Every stat, every single rep and you will be held accountable, if you do good or if you do bad. You’ll be praised when you do well, then when you do bad, you’ll know about it.”

It’s not always the intensity that players enjoy, it's the importance to personal growth that created a relationship with Allen. Linebacker Dee Crayton said that he knew his new coordinator was different by the first time they spoke to each other. 

“We really didn’t talk about football that much, we really talked about our faith and just me growing as a young man, and I knew from then he was about you as a man, like you just growing as a man,” Crayton said. “His energy translates to the field, but he’s just a great man overall. He wants what’s best for you on and off the field and just wants us to dominate life.”

Sophomore Sammy Brown calls Allen “a motivator," advocating for the team to go closer like brothers throughout the offseason ahead of fall camp, which began this past week. Brown says that his intensity is all out of love to bring everyone closer. 

“Just the things he says, he talks about brotherhood a lot and he’s the one that challenged us this offseason to try to grow closer,” Brown said. “He’s just a very intense person. He loves the game of football, he loves us, he loves Clemson and he shows that love by the way that he coaches us.

All eyes will be on this Clemson defense on Aug. 30 against LSU, when the Tigers will be looking for a national statement with a shutdown defensive performance. With Allen at the helm of the unit, some have belief that it’s possible. 

“His energy, and what he brings to the table for us as a defense, [it] just makes us want to go out there and play hard everyday,” Crayton said. “It’s something you can’t explain.”

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