Dabo Swinney poaches James Franklin's top coordinator in stunning lateral move
The Penn State Nittany Lions have suffered through a tough week. After losing to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the waning seconds of the Orange Bowl, James Franklin now has to replace his most valuable coordinator. Defensive coordinator Tom Allen is headed to Clemson for the same position under Dabo Swinney. Allen was previously […]
The Penn State Nittany Lions have suffered through a tough week. After losing to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the waning seconds of the Orange Bowl, James Franklin now has to replace his most valuable coordinator. Defensive coordinator Tom Allen is headed to Clemson for the same position under Dabo Swinney.
Allen was previously the head coach at Indiana from 2016 until 2023 before joining the Nittany Lions. He left Penn State after only one season.
Penn State generated one of the most effective defenses in the country in 2024 despite losing several key pieces to the NFL Draft and injuries (namely, safety Kevin Winston Jr.) They finished sixth in points allowed per game, fifth in yards allowed per game, and were a top-40 team in turnovers produced.
Allen helped bolster the 2025 NFL Draft stock of Abdul Carter, but apparently, returning to Happy Valley wasn't in the cards. Clemson fired Wes Goodwin after three seasons and took a week to replace him with Allen.
Why Allen moved is a bit of a mystery. Some on social media speculated that Allen's wife never moved to State College and his kids live in the south.
Now, James Franklin must figure out who will be his third defensive coordinator in as many years, and how to replace Carter.
