Goodwin poised for jump in second year at the defensive helm
By: Cameron Burnett July 31, 2023

Wes Goodwin entered 2022 as his first year as a defensive coordinator ever in his coaching career. There were some growing pains, but his evolution is just beginning at Clemson.

During the season, the Tigers surrendered 20.9 points per game, good for 22nd in the country. While it may not have been perfect, there is a lot to build off for Goodwin heading into Year 2 and he has a host of starters back that are now used to his system.

When building a defense, continuity can be everything and that’s exactly what Goodwin has. At the 2023 Clemson Media Outing, he reflected back on his first season in the role.

“This position, it grinds you up in numerous different ways…looking back, I’ve grown as a teacher. Teaching our scheme and relating to the players and what it takes every day to prepare my guys to perform at a high level,” Goodwin said.

Thinking about the players Goodwin has back, he returns almost all of his starters on defense, including multiple All-ACC talents. With this in mind, he can hone in on the details instead of having to teach his scheme at this same time last year.

Looking back to Brett Venables’ career with the Tigers, there was a jump from 48th to 24th in the country in points against between his first two seasons. Keep in mind he already had experience as a defensive coordinator, so the growth Goodwin can have is exponential. Players like Tyler Davis, Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Jalyn Phillips are cogs in a machine that’s building up to be elite in 2023.

“I’m excited for Year 2 and I feel really confident with where I’m at personally,” Goodwin said. “It’s a lot different being a guy who makes suggestions versus the guy that has to make the decisions and go with it and having that confidence in your ability to make the right decisions.”

Goodwin referenced a lot of details regarding leverages and where little things ended up being Clemson’s downfall, but it still ended in a solid season. The path ahead is there for the Tigers’ second-year coordinator, and the familiarity opens up the door for one of Clemson’s best defenses in recent memory.