Dabo Swinney cites defensive structure as large factor that led to Tom Allen hire

Tom Allen is Clemson’s defensive coordinator because he runs a unit that fits what Dabo Swinney was looking for.

Swinney was asked what schematically led him to Allen in the hiring process during their introductory press conference. He noted his style of running a four-down defense as what he wanted to continue to do.

“Yeah, well, it was the right fit. I’m four down. I’ve always been a four-down guy. That’s just kind of what I’ve grown up with. I think, I think big people beat little people, you know,” said Swinney. “Again, that’s what I grew up around, won a national championship as a player. To me, I think it – you know, you got to be multiple within that.”

That’s also because Clemson is known for their defensive lines with the Tigers averaging 40.6 sacks a season and having multiple defensive linemen drafted under Swinney. That line will also be back again next fall with multiple players returning to the defense.

“Now a lot of that is our ability to recruit the best of the best on the defensive line,” said Swinney. “Now, you know, if I was somewhere else? You know, you have to, you have to, you have to adapt and do what, what, you know, you have to do to win games, you know. Not everybody is fortunate enough to recruit the type of defensive linemen that we can at Clemson. Nobody’s had more D-linemen go to the NFL in the last, I don’t know, 15 years or so than Clemson. I mean, we got, we got guys all over the NFL with unbelievable success. So that is, that’s who we’ve always been.

“Again, we’re at a place here that has a very rich tradition and history. We’ve got – I mean, we lost one (defensive tackle) that, you know, we expected to lose. So, I mean, these guys are – we got a great group back. That’s where it all starts. I want to set the tone there.”

Allen, who was the defensive coordinator this year at Penn State, just helped the Nittany Lions have another top defense. They allowed just 16.5 points and 294.8 yards per game while posting 44 sacks, 124 tackles for loss, and 25 turnovers with 20 picks, four going for scores, and five fumble recoveries.

That comes after years of defensive work at the high school level before making stops since 2012 at Ole Miss, USF, and Indiana, including being the head coach of the Hoosiers from 2017 to 2023 (32-49, .395)

That defense also showed Swinney how flexible that Allen can be on that side of the football in how his four-down approach can change.

“And then the way the game has changed? You know, he’s a 4-2-5 guy,” said Swinney. “We always say we’re a 4-3 base but – and, I mean, in reality, you are because sometimes you’re going to play some teams that are going to be heavy personnel and things like that.. You have to adapt in the way the game has changed and evolved. You see so much 11 personnel and some 10 personnel – a little bit of everything. That 4-2-5 is really what the 4-3 has grown into.

“We’ve got good secondary play. We’ve got to create – I think you have to have a great corner-type of guy who can line up…You have to have the ability to cover. And then, also, you got to have the ability to stop the run and those guys got to fit the gap. They got to pressure the quarterback. I mean, there’s a lot of things that go into the scheme. But it starts with me with being able to control that line of scrimmage. It’s not that you’re not in and out of odd and even fronts… You know, you create simulated pressures and things like that so, you know, they think it’s pressure but it’s not and, next thing you know, here comes a pick.”

Clemson saw their defense finished with their fewest sacks and overall outside the Top-50 for the first time since 2011. That is what Allen is now there to change in what he brings back to it next season.

“You use your personnel in a lot of different ways to fit the scheme,” said Swinney. “That was something that was very important to me.

“He was a great fit, you know, right out of the gate. As I did, you know – that was part of my process and really looking at everybody. I know who’s here and, you know, it’s important to me to bring the right person in here that fit our staff and fit the personnel.”