Born and raised in Upstate South Carolina in a family full of Clemson fans and alumni, Ben Boulware grew up attending Tiger games as a youngster and then went on to star as a linebacker for the Tigers from 2013-16, ultimately helping them win the natty in his final season.

After joining the Clemson staff two years ago in a volunteer capacity, Boulware took on a larger role on Dabo Swinney’s staff last year after being named as the linebackers coach alongside then-first-year Clemson defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Tom Allen.

Now, Boulware is entering his season as linebackers coach for the Tigers in 2026. And not only does he continue to grow as a position coach while becoming more and more familiar with the details of Allen’s defensive scheme, but he’s “becoming more of a mentor” as well, according to star rising junior linebacker Sammy Brown.

“I feel like he’s really becoming more of a mentor, like really understanding – it was his first year in the defense [in 2025], too – so I think he’s also understanding really the ins and outs of that defense and how to play ‘backer in that defense,” Brown said in Greenville, S.C. on Thursday, when he accepted the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame’s Blanchard-Rogers Trophy, presented to the “most outstanding college football player with ties to South Carolina.”

“And I think that he’s been really, really intentional this spring in doing that,” Brown added. “You know, ‘Hey, we’re not just here to play linebacker. Like, here’s how to play linebacker.’ He’s been really good at doing that.”

A two-year starter at linebacker, Boulware left a legacy after a tremendous Clemson career 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 fumble recoveries over 53 games, including 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.

As a player, a big part of what made Boulware such a good linebacker was his off-the-charts instincts. He still possesses those instincts as a coach, and Brown can see that in practice and in film study.

“He definitely gives us little pointers here and there,” Brown said. “He’ll be like, ‘Hey, you see that lineman’s feet right there?’ Little stuff like that, that I wouldn’t even notice unless he pointed it out.”

How much does that help Brown – the 2024 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and a 2025 first-team All-ACC selection – when he’s out there on the field and starts seeing different things?

“It helps a lot,” Brown said. “Like, once you start seeing those little things in the game is when you really start taking your game to another level. Because then you can start anticipating instead of reacting.”

Brown isn’t just learning a lot from Boulware on the field, but off the field, and in life, as well.

“I feel like he’s always been a great coach. I’ve never had any complaints about him as a coach,” Brown said. “He’s done a really great job of not only developing us on the field, but off the field, too. He’s such a great mentor in understanding how to be a man and not just a football player. But he’s developing with us as well, in being a coach and being a mentor.”