With Van Smith leaving school early for what he hopes are greener pastures in the NFL, Clemson’s plan for K’Von Wallace is likely to keep him at safety.

After spending all spring and summer practicing at cornerback, Wallace was moved back to strong safety, where he played as a freshman, following an injury to Smith in Week 1 of the season. The sophomore started the Auburn Game the next week for Smith and played well, totaling four tackles in the Tigers’ 14-6 victory.

After that he never went back to corner. Wallace came up big in Clemson’s win at NC State later in the season when he broke up two passes, one at the goal line on the game’s final possession, and had an interception to seal the victory. He finished the game with five tackles as well.

From there, Wallace started the last five games of the season as helped the Tigers lead the ACC and rank fourth nationally in passing defense.

With Smith gone, Wallace will likely stay at the strong safety position and Tanner Muse will move over and be the starter at free safety.

“The plan right now is to keep him there, but you never. Coach (Brent) Venables might roll into the room or Coach (Dabo) Swinney might roll in and say they want to change it up,” safeties coach Mickey Conn said prior to the Sugar Bowl. “For me, as the safeties coach, I want to hang on to all of them.”

Especially Wallace, who like fellow safety Isaiah Simmons, is talented and athletic enough to play just about anywhere.

“The way the secondary is now, there is so many moving parts to it, and so many different things that they have to do, it is unbelievable what Mike (Reed) has been able to do with the whole secondary, it has been amazing,” Conn said. “He has been great and I’m just thankful to work with a guy like that has helped me.

“We have been working well together with the guys, but we don’t really fight over them. Whatever helps us win is what we will do.”

Wallace finished the season with 37 tackles, had four passes broken up and one interception.