Wes Goodwin opens up on impact of defensive opt outs for Clemson

The Clemson defense will be playing without a pair of star defenders who are already setting off for the 2023 NFL Draft when the Tigers face Tennessee in the Orange Bowl on Friday evening. Clemson defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin knows it’ll be a blow, but is excited for younger guys to step in and, hopefully, shine.

Clemson will be without Myles Murphy, who opted out of the Orange Bowl to prep for the draft, and Trenton Simpson, who declared following a re-aggravation of his ankle in the ACC Championship game nearly a month ago. Both are potentially first round draft picks and were integral to the Clemson defense in 2022.

“Losing two elite, talented guys is a huge loss but I mean, I feel very confident in the guys that are getting the opportunity to replace them and their snaps and feel very confident in the way that they’ve prepared and excited to go see them play as well,” Goodwin said.

Simpson, in 12 games in 2022, had 4 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks as an off-ball linebacker. It wasn’t quite up to his elite production in 2021 (12.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks) but Simpson was playing through the ankle injury this year. He is an electric talent that NFL teams will surely be after.

Murphy, too. He’s eclipsed double-digit tackles for loss in all three seasons at Clemson and in 2022 he had 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. He finished his three-year college career with 36 tackles for loss an 18.5 sacks in 35 career games.

Missing that much production against the breakneck, high-octane Tennessee offense isn’t ideal, but Goodwin is excited to cut loose the younger players.

“Just those guys, way to get more opportunity and it’ll be fun to see them get that opportunity,” Goodwin said.