CLEMSON — Tom Allen made it pretty clear when asked what kind of players he is looking for at Clemson.

There are certain attributes the Tigers’ first-year defensive coordinator looks for, and speed and a love for the game sit at the top of the list.

“I just want fast, hungry guys that love the game,” Allen said. “That is what I am looking for.”

“You’ve got to be able to run. This game is played in space. This conference is coached in space, the offenses that we play. A lot of elite quarterbacks in this conference. Different conferences have different personalities, and this league is a very wide-open league. You’ve got to have speed. That is a priority.”

However, those aren’t the only traits Allen wants in a player. On top of the speed, he’s also looking to add more physicality for the future, something this current defense has lacked at times this season.

“Tough guys that love football,” Allen added. “The toughness piece is what I am looking for. Just a guy, when you watch him practice and you watch his film, it oozes from his film when you watch him compete in other sports. I think that is a critical piece. Competitive guys. One of the first questions I ask is what other sports does he play? I love guys who play multiple sports.”

“There are just certain things that you look for when you see them, or you go watch them play in person. Just loving the game. We ask our guys to do a lot of hard things in this sport. Mentally and physically. So you got to love it. You do.”

Allen also wants to add more length, something Clemson definitely could use more of on the backend. The Tigers currently have three safeties committed in the 2026 class, and one thing each of them has is length.

“There is a length piece to this, I like length in recruiting,” Allen said. “I think it matters. It allows you to get your hands on balls. Arm length, that is something when I came here, it was the first thing we made a big deal about. It is one of the first things we measure when they come. It matters in this game.”

Last but not least, there is the cultural fit. If you are a recruit and the first thing you ask is how much you are going to make, Allen is likely to move on to the next guy. He wants players who are looking for more than just a payday.

“That is not a good first question,” Allen said. “If that is all you care about, yes, that is part of it now, but there has to be a love for playing football. Just finding guys that just love it. You can’t keep them off the field. They enjoy practice, they love playing, and competing. That is the kind of guys that I want.”

“The ultimate thing is just fit, a cultural fit. That is easy for me. It is exactly who I am and why I came here.

Photo by Bart Boatwright