After a semifinal elimination during the College Football Playoffs, former Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen decided to sign with the Clemson Tigers ahead of the 2025 campaign.

Tom Allen wore a weary smile in Penn State's locker room after the Orange Bowl as he surveyed a silent, still group of players hurting over the Nittany Lions' 27-24 loss to Notre Dame. Penn State's defensive coordinator, at least for that moment, tried to find context.

Allen, he said, wasn’t looking for a job. He was laser-focused on Penn State’s CFP semifinal game against Notre Dame at the Orange Bowl. The Nittany Lions made the field as an at-large team (No. 6 seed) and won games against SMU and Boise State.

CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson has hired Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen for the same role with the Tigers, a move that was finalized by the school’s Board of Trustees Compensation Committee.

A longtime believer in “blooming where you’re planted,” Swinney has now made five straight outside hires for assistant coaches.

Tom Allen understands some of the questions surrounding his decision to leave Penn State after one highly-successful season to take a seemingly lateral move as Clemson‘s new defensive coordinator. Still,

Penn State formally hired Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to the same position Monday morning. Knowles replaces Tom Allen, who left after one year to become the defensive coordinator at Clemson.

Defensive coordinators have outpaced offensive coordinators in wages for years now. Of the top 15 highest-paid coordinators in 2024, 11 are defensive play-callers. Nine of those have inked new deals since the start of the 2022 college football season.

The Nittany Lions are hiring Tom Knowles, who served as defensive coordinator for the national champion Buckeyes.

Clemson stole Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen. Penn State responded by stealing Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles on Sunday, much to the disappointment of OU and Notre Dame, which both cast come-hither eyeballs at Knowles.

From Mirror reports Penn State is making a national splash with the reported hiring of Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. Knowles will reportedly become the highest paid assistant coach in college football with a three-year deal worth $3.

Penn State is making a big move by bringing in Jim Knowles as their new defensive coordinator. According to reports, Knowles is leaving Ohio State to join the