CLEMSON, S.C. — Head Coach Dabo Swinney and Clemson Football announced today that Clemson has hired Tom Allen as Defensive Coordinator. The hire was finalized Tuesday by the Clemson University Board of Trustees Compensation Committee.
Swinney will formally introduce Allen at a press conference at the Smart Family Media Center at 1:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Jan. 15. The press conference will be streamed live on ClemsonPlus.com.
“We’ve got a great football coach — and a great leader of men — coming to Clemson,” Swinney said. “He brings a ton of experience and was highly recommended by some of the best people in this business. He is obviously coming off of a great year as the defensive coordinator at Penn State, and we’re excited to welcome him as our defensive coordinator here at Clemson.”
Allen joins the Tigers with more than three decades of coaching experience. Most recently, he served as the defensive coordinator/linebackers coach at Penn State in 2024, a season in which he helped lead the Nittany Lions to a school-record 13 wins and a College Football Playoff berth.
Allen’s defense recorded two pick-sixes in Penn State’s 38-10 win against SMU in the College Football Playoff First Round. In the following game, his unit bottled up Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty, holding the star running back to a season-low 3.47 yards per carry and no touchdowns in a 31-14 Penn State victory in the College Football Playoff National Quarterfinal at the Fiesta Bowl.
Penn State finished seventh in the nation in total defense (294.8 yards per game) and eighth in the nation in scoring defense (16.5 points per game) under Allen’s guidance in 2024. The unit finished second nationally in tackles for loss (119) and fifth in sacks (44), categories in which Clemson cumulatively leads the nation since 2012 (560 sacks and 1,465 tackles for loss in that span). Allen helped guide defensive end Abdul Carter to unanimous All-America honors, Penn State’s first time having a player earn that distinction since running back Saquon Barkley in 2017.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity that Coach Swinney has given me to lead the defense. I have admired him from afar for years and look forward to working for him and with his defensive staff,” said Allen, whose full comments are included below the announcement. “I remain incredibly grateful for the opportunity James Franklin gave me to be part of Penn State football, a championship-caliber program in every respect…