While Indiana football set program records in 2024 under first-year head coach Curt Cignetti, his predecessor helped guide Penn State to a College Football Playoff Semifinal appearance.
Now, just five days after the Nittany Lions fell to the University of Notre Dame — like Indiana — in the Capital One Orange Bowl, former Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen is on the move.
Allen, who spent seven seasons as Indiana’s head coach, will become the defensive coordinator at Clemson University, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel’s X post Tuesday. The 54-year-old Allen signed a three-year deal worth $6 million to replace Wes Goodwin, who was fired after three seasons with the Tigers.
While on the surface it may seem like a lateral move with Allen shifting from a premier school in the Big Ten to one of the same in the Atlantic Coast Conference, his two daughters live in the Carolinas and likely played a role in Allen’s decision, according to Thamel.
Allen’s son, Thomas, who played for Indiana from 2017-21, was on Penn State’s staff as a defensive analyst and analytics coordinator. Per Thamel, Thomas will likely join his father at Clemson.
Despite securing a berth in the College Football Playoff, Clemson fell to the University of Texas in the first round. Its defense surrendered 38 points and 494 total yards.
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney is now tasking Allen with resurrecting the defense to its prior success obtained under Brent Venables, who was the defensive coordinator for the Tigers from 2012-21.
Follow reporters Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and columnist Jhett Garrett (@jhettgarrett) for updates throughout the Indiana football offseason.