Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has highlighted pass defense as an area of his team that needs to improve the most heading into the upcoming season.

Clemson’s secondary certainly struggled at times over the course of last season, and Mickey Conn is partially responsible for that group’s performance as the Tigers’ safeties coach.

Conn, who also serves as Clemson’s co-defensive coordinator, met with the media Friday and was asked what the coaching staff has identified regarding the issues in pass defense last season.

“I think being disciplined with your eyes, getting your eyes on the right thing,” he said. “I think alignment has a lot to do with it, where you shade players.”

In Conn’s eyes, another aspect of defending the pass better is simple, and that’s belief.

“This program’s built on belief, and these guys gotta believe they’re the best when they step out there on the field,” he said.

In 2022, the Tigers ranked 99th nationally in passing yards allowed (3,244) and yielded 231.7 passing yards per game, 76th in the country.

Clemson gave up more than 300 three times, including 337 to Wake Forest in a double-overtime win and a season-high 360 to South Carolina in its first loss to the Gamecocks since 2013.

“You take a few games, and they were a lot worse than others, and it really piled on us,” Conn said.

Conn said there were errors across the board in pass defense, from the safety, cornerback and linebacker positions to defending screens and underneath passes.

“There were just a lot of things that we’ve got to get cleaned up and get better at,” he said, “and getting pressure to the quarterback and stopping his timing. Getting hands on receivers and knocking speed off of routes, re-routing guys. I think that’s really important to do.”

Conn noted that being more aggressive will be important for the Tigers as well when it comes to improving in pass defense.

“Not sitting back waiting to make a play, but having the mindset ‘I’m going to make the play,’ and that’s our job as coaches,” he said. “We’ve got to get that mindset where it needs to be, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

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