Following a strong season that saw Clemson Football add another ACC championship and College Football Playoff appearance to head coach Dabo Swinney’s resume, the Tigers have an intriguing spring season ahead of them. With that time of year comes several questions, from personnel, to coaching, to returning players building more cohesion in 2025. Here are some of the things that I’m most fascinated by as the Tigers continue spring football.
How will new defensive coordinator Tom Allen fit with the defense?
Former Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen replaces Wes Goodwin to lead the Clemson defense. Once the strength of the program, the group had fallen to middle-of-the-pack ranks in statistics like yards per game (374.1) and points allowed per game (23.4). Though Allen and Goodwin run the same scheme (a 4-2-5 nickel), Allen has historically focused more on blitzing and aggression than his predecessor. It is noteworthy that his defense at Penn State in 2024 tended to offer softer coverages to offenses, often protecting against the deep passing game at the expense of underneath routes (see the Bowling Green game on September 7th).
What does the wide receiver room look like?
Senior quarterback Cade Klubnik returns to throw to one of the best receiving corps in the country. Sophomores T.J. Moore and Bryant Wesco Jr. are expected to lead the group, alongside fellow returners Antonio Williams, Tyler Brown and others. Who I’m most intrigued by though, is Southeast Missouri State transfer receiver Tristan Smith, who brings over senior experience to the team. He caught 76 passes for nearly 1,000 yards in 2024. If he’s able to add even more depth to this offense, Clemson could be in for another improvement in 2025.
What’s the running back pecking order?
After losing an 1,100-yard back in Phil Mafah, the tailback position is up for grabs. Keith Adams Jr., Jarvis Green, David, and Gideon Davidson will duke it out for the starting nod. I expect them to split reps somewhat evenly in spring practice and the spring game, and potentially through the first few games of the regular season this fall. Despite losing such a high-usage player, Clemson is in a favorable position in terms of depth. They’ve given Haynes, Adams Jr., and Eziomume double-digit carries last season, so there won’t be as sharp of a learning curve for each of them. We’ll see how Dabo and offensive coordinator Garrett Riley handle the situation.
Spring Game
Clemson’s spring game is set for Saturday, April 5th at 1:00 p.m. in Death Valley. Despite multiple other FBS schools cancelling their spring games to focus on practice time, Dabo Swinney’s team is set to compete for the fans to see. While we won’t be able to see as much as we would for a standard regular season game, the large number of players that can be evaluated will be intriguing.
