When Dabo Swinney hired veteran coach Tom Allen to run his defense, he had a clear vision of what he was getting. After a full fall camp, the reality has exceeded his hopes.
"It's been a great honeymoon. I hope it continues," Swinney said with a laugh on Tuesday.
Allen, who took over the defensive coordinator role this offseason, has brought a new level of command and detail to the Clemson defense. Swinney highlighted the qualities that have stood out as the Tigers prepare for their high-stakes opener against LSU.
"He really brings it every day. He's very detailed. He's very organized," Swinney said. "My main thing was, especially with the staff that we have... I needed a guy to just run that room with the intensity and accountability that I wanted. And I've seen that every day."
Swinney noted that while he did his "due diligence" before the hire, seeing Allen in action has confirmed his decision. "It's been good to see just how he's managed the room... he's just done a great job leading."
Now, the "honeymoon" phase is over, and the first real test comes Saturday against a potent LSU offense.
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