Former Indiana Head Coach Tom Allen leaves Penn State And Officially Joined Clemson Tigers

Tom Allen, the former head coach of Indiana, has joined the Clemson Tigers after leaving Penn State.

Tom Allen, the former head coach of Indiana and defensive coordinator at Penn State, is allegedly leaving the Nittany Lions program.

ESPN college football analyst Pete Thamel revealed Monday morning that Penn State’s defensive coordinator is departing for the same position at Clemson.

“Tom Allen, a defensive coordinator at Penn State, is being courted by Clemson to become the new defensive coordinator. A final decision is anticipated in the coming days, and he is the main target,” Thamel said on Monday.

Pete Thamel of ESPN also claims that Allen’s desire to be nearer to his daughters, who both live in the Carolinas, is a major factor in his decision to relocate.

After seven seasons and a 33-49 record, Allen was fired as Indiana’s head coach in 2023. The Hoosiers hired current head coach Curt Cignetti after Allen left. Allen then became James Franklin’s defensive coordinator at Penn State. Although Penn State advanced to the 2024 College Football Playoffs, they just suffered a dramatic 27–24 Orange Bowl loss to Notre Dame.

On their road to the CFP semifinals, Allen’s Nittany Lions had one of the best defenses in the country, ranking seventh in points allowed per game (16.5). In the 2025 NFL Draft, edge rusher Abdul Carter is probably going to be selected in the top five. They also finished seventh in opposition total yards per game (295 ypg) and ninth in opposing total rushing yards per game (101 ypg).

Additionally, Allen was an assistant head coach at Arkansas State (2011), a defensive coordinator at South Florida (USF) for a year in 2015, and a linebacker and special teams coach at Ole Miss for three years from 2012 to 2014.

Let’s hope James Franklin and Penn State don’t target Indiana DC Bryan Haines, since Penn State is now looking for their third defensive coordinator in four years.

A source informs @CBSSports/@247Sports that Tom Allen of Penn State has agreed to take over as Clemson’s new defensive coordinator.

It is anticipated that Clemson and Allen, with whom ESPN previously stated that Clemson was attempting to reach an agreement, will do so within the next day or two.… rTeayuYmZk pic.twitter.com/