Penn State Football Suffers Shocking Loss on James Franklin’s Staff

For the second consecutive offseason, Penn State Football head coach James Franklin must hire a defensive coordinator.

According to reports from CBS Sports and 247 Sports, Tom Allen is expected to leave Penn State to become Clemson’s defensive coordinator, after spending just one season in Happy Valley.

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Allen, who replaced Manny Diaz when Diaz left to become Duke’s head coach ahead of the 2024 campaign, maintained the elite level of defense that Penn State has come to expect over the past decade, helping guide the Nittany Lions to a College Football Playoff semifinals appearance.

Penn State finished the 2024 campaign as the No. 7 ranked defense in the nation, holding opponents to 294.8 yards of total offense per game. Likewise, Allen’s unit ranked eighth in turnovers, averaging 1.6 per game.

Seeing Allen make a lateral move is a disappointing development in terms of Penn State’s fundraising and NIL efforts, if the Nittany Lions are unable to outspend programs such as Clemson to keep the most vital coaches on staff in Happy Valley.

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