CLEMSON — When Tom Allen was hired as Clemson’s new defensive coordinator after last season, the general consensus was that the issues that plagued the Tigers on that side of the ball last season would be quickly fixed.

That just hasn’t been the case. While the defense more than held its own in the season-opening loss to LSU, it’s gotten worse with each passing week, with Allen’s unit turning in its most inexplicable performance to date in the 34-21 loss to Syracuse on Saturday.

The Orange scored points on their first four possessions, and gashed the Tigers to the tune of 195 yards in the first quarter alone. A team that struggled to run the ball over its first three games ran it at will against the Clemson defense, averaging 6.5 yards per carry in the first half.

Linebacker Sammy Brown, who posted eight tackles in the loss, knows that with this team sitting at 1-3, their resolve is about to be put to the test.

“To stay together,” Brown said after the loss. “Nobody wants to be 1-3, but that’s where we’re at, that’s what we have put on tape. Just staying together, staying off social media, and leaning on our brothers, we will be alright.”

With Clemson heading into a bye week, the Tigers will have two weeks to prepare for the trip to Chapel Hill to face off against North Carolina, which is coming off a blowout loss to UCF.

“We just got to start faster,” Brown said. “I thought we played good in the second half, we didn’t give up a lot of big plays, but we have to find a way to start faster. Come out and play our best ball the whole game and not just a half.”

However, as bad as it’s been over the first four weeks of the season, Brown insists there is no quit in him, and he’s confident that this team will keep working to get it right, or die trying.

“We’re going to be alright,” Brown said. “We are going back to work on Monday and we’ve got to more. We are going to do more. I know these guys, I know the people in the locker room. I love each and every guy in that locker room, and I know that on Monday, we are going to come to work.”

Photo by Bart Boatwright