The Tigers are a older group on defense, and one of the units most representative of this is safety. Under positional coach Mickey Conn,  Clemson has two starters back in the system for another year in Wes Goodwin’s defense.

Jalyn Phillips and Andrew Mukuba started a total of 25 games in 2022, and return with yet another year under their belt. Phillips was named a permanent captain by his teammates, and had 82 tackles last year as the Tigers’ final line of defense.

Coming into a second year with a new defense, Conn is blessed to have the player and man that Phillips is leading his unit. At the 2023 Clemson Media Outing, he talked about the value that brings.

“He is a true Clemson man, and in this crazy world of college football that we live in, this kid’s got the right stuff and it’s really his first year to be the guy,” Conn said. “His confidence level and his experience level is really going to shine. He’s going to have a big year, a breakout year this year just because of who he is and the work ethic and the experience that he’s had going into this season. I’m excited for him.”

While Phillips is the elder of the defense heading into his fifth year, Andrew Mukuba is the new kid on the block, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t experienced. The 2021 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year has 104 tackles over his first two seasons as a Tiger.

With 21 starts under his belt, he’s already shaped into the college game, but Mukuba’s focused on one thing now. Early on, he spent time playing both cornerback and safety, but he still delivered strong seasons. Conn talked about how a dislocated elbow last year made it difficult to do both.

Heading into his junior season, Mukuba is 100% focused on safety and Conn is excited about what he can bring to the table, especially while not dealing with a nagging injury.

“He had to wear that elbow brace the whole season. When you’re trying to play man-to-man on guys, that’s a big hindrance, and I think it affected his confidence,” Conn said. “Coming back in the spring, playing one position mainly really helped him to focus in on that, what to do and the ins and outs of that position. I think it’s going to be big.”

The back line of Clemson’s defense has the confidence of its coaches, and it’s a luxury that allows the Tigers to be aggressive with their talented front seven. If Mukuba and Phillips deliver the seasons they’re expected to, Clemson can make a massive jump on defense from last year.