Ben Boulware left his mark at Clemson as a player from 2013-16, serving as a key defensive cog and leader while ultimately capping his career by helping the Tigers capture the 2016 national title, their first national championship in 35 years.

Now, Boulware is looking to make his mark on the Clemson program as an assistant coach on Dabo Swinney’s staff.

A beloved player, Boulware was an intense and passionate competitor, and that same type of passion and fire is carrying over to his new role as the Tigers’ linebackers coach.

This week, he took to social media and shared a defensive hype video with the caption, “In 2025, we’re going to suffocate you then shake your hand.”

The video features senior linebacker Wade Woodaz, who summed up his definition of what a typical Tiger defense is all about.

“When I think of Clemson defense, I think of suffocating,” Woodaz said in the video. “You ain’t getting nothing all day. An intense, like a passion, swagger, confidence – that subtle confidence, like yeah, we’re not too flashy. We don’t have to talk about it, I’d rather just go be about it, go do it. And then shake your hand when we’re done.”

Boulware joined the Clemson staff last season in a volunteer capacity before being named as Clemson’s linebackers coach in 2025. He’s now in charge of a unit led by Woodaz and rising sophomore Sammy Brown – a unit that was recently ranked by Pro Football Focus as the ninth-best linebacker corps in college football entering the 2025 season.

A two-year starter at linebacker, Boulware left a legacy after a stellar Clemson career (2013-16) during which he posted 352 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, five interceptions, 41 quarterback pressures, 10 pass breakups, six caused fumbles and four recovered fumbles over 53 games (31 starts).

He earned the Jack Lambert Award as the nation’s top linebacker a senior in 2016, as well as second-team All-America honors and first-team All-ACC honors, and was selected as ACC Co-Defensive Player of the Year before earning national championship game Most Valuable Defensive Player honors in leading the Tigers to the program’s second national championship. Check out Boulware’s hype video featuring Woodaz below: