New Clemson Tigers LB Coach Gets Stamp of Approval from All-ACC Wade Woodaz

New Clemson Tigers linebacker coach Ben Boulware is a familiar face around Clemson, even if he is relatively new to the coaching ranks.

A year after being a volunteer special assistant at Clemson, head coach Dabo Swinney elevated him to a linebacker coach. Boulware is a Clemson legend after helping the team to the 2016 National Championship, earning the Jack Lambert award as the nation's best linebacker along the way.

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Wade Woodaz was named preseason All-ACC and has taken a quick liking to Boulware and his no-nonsense approach to football, and life, for that matter.

"I love Ben," said Woodaz this week. "Just like as a human, and then as a coach even more. First of all, he's not scared to tell me the truth, whatever that looks like, as brash and harsh as it might be, I appreciate him for that. Just constantly pushing, but being able to be like a human with it at the same time.

"So it's not like he's just speaking down on me, speaking down on me, speaking down on me," Woodaz said rapping his hands, "and there's no relationship behind it. We can talk to each other that way.

"Well, he can talk to me that way," Woodaz said with a laugh.

"I don't yell at him," Woodaz said sheepishly.

Woodaz is in his last year of eligibility at Clemson. He had 83 tackles with 10 tackles for loss as a junior, and he can see Boulware lasting a lot longer with the Tigers once he's on to the NFL.

"I can just see him being here a long time. Just the intensity and juice he brings," Woodaz said.

Asked for an example of that energy, Woodaz thought for a moment before breaking into his best Boulware impression.

"For example, talking about taping your ankles. He's like 'Don't be an idiot; Tape your freaking ankles man,'" Woodaz growled.

"That's pretty much how a majority of the conversations go," Woodaz said. "But yeah, I really appreciate him."

Being authentic and to the point. No one would expect any less from Boulware, and he's got the stamp of approval from his All-ACC senior linebacker.