CLEMSON — Clemson University’s Board of Trustees Compensation Committee officially approved the contract of Clemson’s next defensive coordinator in a called meeting on Tuesday.

The Compensation Committee unanimously approved the contract of former Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen to be the Tigers’ new defensive coordinator.

Clemson and Allen agreed to a three-year deal that will pay Allen $1.9 million this year and then will increase to $2 million for 2025-’26 and $2.1 million for 2026-’27.

“We’ve got a great football coach — and a great leader of men — coming to Clemson,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said in a release from the university. “He brings a ton of experience and was highly recommended by some of the best people in this business. He is obviously coming off of a great year as the defensive coordinator at Penn State, and we’re excited to welcome him as our defensive coordinator here at Clemson.”

Swinney will formally introduce Allen at a press conference at the Smart Family Media Center at 1:30 p.m., on Wednesday. Allen will receive a signing bonus to fulfill his obligation to Penn State within 60 days of his start at Clemson.

The signing bonus shall be calculated at $903,150 plus a gross up to provide as tax neutral transaction for Allen provided that the parties shall work in good faith to reasonably determine the appropriate gross up and in any event the total signing bonus, including gross up to, but shall not exceed $1,750,000.

In the event that on or before January 15, 2026, Allen resigns his
employment with Clemson to accept a collegiate coaching position or any position in the NFL, he will be required to repay the signing bonus to Clemson on demand.

In the event that on or before January 15, 2026, Clemson terminates Allen’s employment for Cause, he will be required to repay the signing bonus to Clemson on demand.

Allen becomes the fourth defensive coordinator under head coach Dabo Swinney, who officially parted ways with Wes Goodwin on Jan. 6.

Allen spent the 2024 season as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Penn State, leading a unit that helped guide the Nittany Lions to the semifinal round of the College Football Playoff.

The Nitty Lions’ defense ranked 8th nationally in scoring defense this season (16.5 ppg) and 7th in total defense (294.8 ypg). They also ranked 9th in rushing defense (101.9 ypg) and 7th in yards per carry allowed (3.05).

Penn State ranked fifth nationally with 44 sacks and second in tackles for loss with 119. The Nitty Lions ranked fifth in red zone defense in 2024, as well.

A former head coach at Indiana, Allen has 33 years of coaching experience on his resume. He came to Penn State in 2024 after Manny Diaz left the Nittany Lions to become the head coach at Duke.

Before this past season, Allen spent eight years at Indiana, with seven seasons (2017-23) as Indiana’s head coach and one as the Hoosiers’ defensive coordinator. According to Penn State’s official website, in his last 29 seasons, the teams for which Allen has been a member of the coaching staff have posted a combined record of 268-120 (.690).

In his eight-year tenure with the Hoosiers, IU’s defenses were known for getting off the field on third down, ranking in the top five in the Big Ten on third down in five seasons and in the top 15 nationally twice.

The Hoosiers were 33-49 during Allen’s tenure as head coach and made it to three bowl games. He also led Indiana to a final ranking of No. 12 in the Associated Press Poll during the shortened 2020 season.

—photo by Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images