Wesley Goodwin isn’t Brent Venables, and Clemson coach Dabo Swinney doesn’t want his first-year defensive coordinator to try to be.
Goodwin is spending this spring putting his own twist on the Tigers’ defense after being promoted following Venables’ decision to leave Clemson for his first head coaching job at Oklahoma. The transition has made for practices that have been noticeably quieter during the periods open to the media for viewing.
Goodwin is the anti-Venables when it comes to personalities. Whereas Venables was more vocal and fiery, Goodwin tends to be more laid back and subdued. Swinney noted recently that media members don’t get to watch the majority of the Tigers’ practices, implying there are times Goodwin can get animated, but it’s hard for players and coaches not to notice the contrast in styles.
“He’s a very kind, mellow guy,” defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro said of Goodwin. “I like him.”
Said fellow defensive lineman Tyler Davis, “He’s very chill. He lets us go out there, play and really get after it.”
While Goodwin may be more reserved than his predecessor, Swinney said that shouldn’t be confused for a lack of passion or knowledge for his job. Swinney likened the switch to when former assistant Tony Elliott took over as the Tigers’ co-offensive coordinator in 2015 when Chad Morris left to take the head coaching job at SMU.
“Completely different people and completely different demeanors, but both just as competitive,” Swinney said. “Everybody’s got to be who they are. That’s the main thing. We just need Wes to be Wes. That’s why he got the job. Being Wes. He didn’t get the job trying to be somebody else. Everybody has to coach within their personality, and that’s certainly what he does. He’s got a great presence to him. There’s a very calming effect to him because he’s incredibly smart and confident. He’s a great teacher.”
Goodwin is inheriting a defense that’s been one of college football’s best under Venables in recent years. The Tigers have been among the nation’s top 10 scoring defenses five times in the last decade, including this past season when Clemson allowed the second-fewest points in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Clemson is losing some key pieces off that defense, including linebackers James Skalski and Baylon Spector, corners Andrew Booth and Mario Goodrich and safety Nolan Turner. But the Tigers do have their entire two-deep along the defensive line returning. Goodwin will try to keep the unit humming using an altered method, though Swinney insisted there’s more to it than meets the eye.
“Wesley has a different approach, but he’s got some fire to him,” Swinney said.
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