Reports: Clemson Targeting Penn State's Tom Allen as Defensive Coordinator

As Penn State's DC, Allen helped the Nittany Lions to the College Football Playoff semifinals.

Penn State Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Tom Allen against the Boise State Broncos during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Tom Allen stood in the Penn State football locker room after the Orange Bowl and described what he wanted the Nittany Lions to remember about their season.

"That the team made history and were part of a special, special group," Allen said. "It’s easy to lose sight of that right now. No one wants to hear that right now [after the loss to Notre Dame]. There’s a lot of hurting guys in this locker room, and rightly so. But I want them to be remembered as one of the best defenses in the country and one of the best defenses in Penn State history. They gave it all to the final whistle."

Turns out, that could have been Allen's final game as Penn State's defensive coordinator. Allen is the "top target" to join Clemson coach Dabo Swinney's staff as defensive coordinator, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Monday, and multiple reports confirmed Clemson's pursuit. By Monday night, Penn State had removed Allen from its online staff listing. If Allen leaves Penn State for Clemson, Nittany Lions coach James Franklin would be hiring the team's third defensive coordinator in four years.

Sources: Clemson is working toward a deal to hire Penn State DC Tom Allen as the school’s new defensive coordinator. He’s the top target and a final decision is expected in the upcoming days. pic.twitter.com/8PLnibXD2j

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 13, 2025

Allen guided a Penn State defense that ranked among the top-10 nationally in seven major statistical categories, including total defense (seventh), scoring (eighth) and rushing (ninth). His defense ranked second nationally in tackles for loss, fronted by Abdul Carter, the Big Ten defensive player of the year who led the nation with 23.5. Penn State's defense also forced nine turnovers, including eight interceptions, in three College Football Playoff games.

Franklin hired Allen over a longer-than-usual process following the 2023 season. After Indiana fired Allen as its head coach, Franklin quickly made contact, similar to the way he previously called Manny Diaz after his departure from Miami in 2021. But the process took time.

"Tom's interview was a little bit interesting because it went for like a week, literally," Franklin said last summer. "He came here, had a couple hours to spend with him. We weren't able to get all the stuff done in between recruiting and bowl prep, all the things we needed to do. It became, 'Can you stay for another day, talk for a couple more hours, have it early in the morning, late at night?' He did it. He still felt like he had questions he had and I had questions that I had. Kind of went another day, another day, another day, another day."

Allen became a popular figure in Penn State's defense for how he related to players and deployed their skills. He also went through a bit of an adjustment. Allen began the season coaching from the field but moved to the press box after two games. He also turned over responsibility for coaching linebackers to graduate assistant Dan Connor, who relayed plays to middle linebacker Kobe King through the communications system.

"That was a big move because I hadn't been up there for a long time and I just think it helps me do a better job of seeing things," Allen said before the Orange Bowl. "It's kind of a small example of just being able to focus on the things that matter most, which is, what do I need to do to be able to spend the most time watching film, getting our players in the best position, and allowing us to get the best call? And that kind of goes during the week as well, not being distracted by all the things that head coaches have to deal with it."

Franklin hired Allen not to radically transform Penn State's defense but to fuse his vision with what the Nittany Lions had done well under Brent Pry and Diaz. Allen said that took some time to master but ultimately proved rewarding.

"At the same time, I've never been at a place where I can focus this much on being the defensive coordinator," Allen said. "That's really the way coach [Franklin] has set it up. And I love that, because it lets you do what you really enjoy, but also it helps you be more effective at what you're asked to do."

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