Clemson linebackers coach Ben Boulware watches defensive end Will Heldt (13) during Clemson football 2025 practice at Jervey Meadows in Clemson, S.C. Wednesday, August 6, 2025. Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Howdy folks! If you have been reading our site for a while, you know I’ve done the linebacker preview/review articles for the past few years. I came into last year with very high expectations for the unit, as I did for the 2023 season, but eventually the Wes Goodwin effect caught up with the program and the defense largely underperformed last season leading to Goodwin being dismissed. I felt the linebackers in particular underwhelmed relative to their talent level, especially Barrett Carter, and even the two years before I felt Clemson did not get the best out of highly talented players like Carter and Trenton Simpson. The one exception to this was Jeremiah Trotter, Jr. who was an absolute stud in 2022 and 2023. Ultimately the change to Tom Allen and bringing in former Clemson superstar Ben Boulware and Thomas Allen to coach the LBs should pay big dividends.
Coach Swinney was bullish that talent was not the issue for this defense last year when it routinely got gashed in the run game. We will be able to judge that better through the course of this season and beyond with Allen, but there is no doubt just about every guy on defense is at a different level of conditioning heading into this season. I’ll never forget Carter’s damning admission to being “out of shape” after the shocking 28-7 loss to the Duke Blue Devils to start 2023. He had a clean shot at QB Riley Leonard for a sack that ultimately turned into a long TD run that totally flipped that game on its head. Those are simply plays that have to be made, especially by your top shelf guys with…
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Publish date : 2025-08-18 13:53:00
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