Tom Allen’s first thought when Clemson’s bowl opponent came into focus wasn’t scheme. It was people.
He said he’s looking forward to seeing former Penn State players, coaches, and staffers he built relationships with during his one season in State College: “That’s what sticks out the most,” Allen said. “A lot of great people there.”
A bowl reality: adjust to who shows up
Allen didn’t minimize the churn. Bowl prep, he said, now demands flexibility because availability changes on both sides. The solution, in his view: build a plan “flexible enough to adapt on game day” to who plays, how much they play, and what it looks like once it’s live.
And when asked about Clemson’s defensive opt-outs, Allen leaned on Dabo Swinney’s blunt standard: “you have to have the mindset that… it's next man up.”
The roster blueprint: speed + love of the work
Allen also went deeper on what he wants Clemson’s defense to look like going forward—and why. He reiterated that improving the roster can come through high school recruiting and the transfer portal, depending on numbers and needs.
Then came the identity piece: “I’m a big speed guy,” Allen said, especially for the perimeter, secondary, and linebacker level—players who can “play in space and tackle at an elite level,” with “a passion and love for the game” and “that edge about you.”
Why the season reveals the truth
Allen’s most revealing moment came when he explained how you really learn if a defense has the toughness and passion it needs. Practice matters, he said, but the “finality” of game film exposes what’s real—especially when things go sideways inside a game or across a season.
His point: a season puts you “in the fire” and “gets revealed who you are.” And he believes Clemson’s defense has grown into its best football at the right time.