First-year Clemson defensive coordinator Tom Allen jokes that the biggest test on Saturday night might come before the game vs. LSU even begins.

That’s when Allen will be tasked with running down The Hill prior to the primetime kickoff at Clemson’s Death Valley.

Of course, it will be Allen’s first time taking part in the Tigers’ famous and iconic pregame entrance, and he’s excited to experience “the most exciting 25 seconds in college football.”

“I can’t wait,” Allen said on Tuesday.

Allen even practiced running down The Hill at Memorial Stadium on Monday night.

“So I did my practice run down The Hill last night,” he said. “We had a practice in the stadium, which was awesome. [The goal is for] nobody to notice me.”

Allen ran down cautiously, he added.

“I didn’t do the Dabo Swinney sprint. I think I would’ve face-planted,” he joked.

Since Allen will be coaching from the box this season, instead of on the field, Allen noted that he’ll not only have to go down The Hill, but also run across the field, get in a golf cart and then get up to the box before Clemson is on defense.

“That might be the biggest challenge of the night,” he said.

Allen joined Clemson’s staff back in January with more than three decades of coaching experience as a head coach and assistant. Most recently, he served as the defensive coordinator/linebackers coach at Penn State in 2024, a season in which he helped lead the Nittany Lions to a school-record 13 wins and a College Football Playoff berth.

Now embarking on his first season with a Tigers team that has CFP and championship aspirations as well, Allen can’t wait to be a part of the “whole thrill of the environment” for the top-10 showdown against LSU in The Valley.

“Just the historic venue, environment – can’t wait to feel it, see it, experience it,” he said. “I expect it to be deafening and super loud, and especially when it’s third downs and they’re on the field on offense and we’re on defense.

“We practice inside, working on crowd noise for our defense, for those very reasons. Same thing we did a year ago at Penn State. So, very similar in that regard. They call it home field advantage for a reason, and it is an advantage, and we’ve got to take full advantage of it as well. So, can’t wait.”