unfortunately a little overmatched in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
Even though the program was bounced early, there were some really positive takeaways. On the offensive side of the ball, the unit performed very well against one of the best defenses in the country.
Cade Klubnik emerged as a star in 2024, and him returning for his senior season is really exciting for the program. Also, a lot of other players on the offensive side of the ball will be back, most notably Antonio Williams.
Furthermore, while the offense took significant steps forward, the defense struggled quite a bit in 2024. Against the run, the Tigers looked lost at times, and that helped result in a disappointing season in that area.
Recently, Clemson made the decision to part ways with defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin. The decision to move on from Goodwin shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, as the rushing defense was one of the worst in decades for the program.
Now, Dabo Swinney needs to find a replacement, and with expectations high in 2025, this is an important decision.
Will Vandervort of the Clemson Insider recently shared an update on the search for a new defensive coordinator. He highlighted two names that are very much in play for the Tigers.
“When talking with some of our sources on Monday, we learned Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks, as well as Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry are still very much involved in the search.”
Banks and Henry have been mentioned as potential replacements for Goodwin, and both make a lot of sense. Banks comes with a plethora of experience as a defensive coordinator at multiple programs. Also, the Tennessee Volunteers had one of the best rushing defenses in the country last season, which is certainly going to be a priority.
Henry also had a strong year as the defensive coordinator for the Illinois Fighting Illini, but doesn’t quite have the same experience as Banks.
For Swinney and the Tigers, bringing in the right choice is going to be important. Clemson knows that their talent is going to be there to be one of the best teams in the country, and they can’t squander that opportunity with one of the best quarterbacks in the country being in his final season.
