Wesley Goodwin isn’t Brent Venables. Ever since promoting the former to the latter’s old post, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has made it clear he doesn’t want him to be.
“We just need Wes to be Wes,” Swinney said in the spring. “That’s why he got the job.”
Goodwin, the Tigers’ first-year defensive coordinator, is a different personality. While Swinney and his players have said Goodwin won’t hesitate to raise his voice when he deems it necessary, Goodwin’s soften-spoken, even-keeled temperament is in contrast to Venables’ boisterous, fiery demeanor.
But his first season as Venables’ successor – one that’s featured moments of both dominance and leakage from his unit – has been a learning experience. And to hear Goodwin tell it, one of the aspects of the job that he’s growing more comfortable with is picking his spots to give his players some stern motivation.
“I’ve learned to be more demanding,” Goodwin said. “Not demeaning, but demanding. And raise the intensity level. You may not see that on the sidelines, per se, but at practice, halftime adjustments and stuff.”
The defense’s performances so far have landed on just about every part of the spectrum. While the Tigers have been one of the stoutest teams against the run all season (less than 70 yards allowed per game), it’s been touch and go for the secondary. After getting torched for nearly 17 yards per completion and six passing touchdowns in a double-overtime win at Wake Forest late last month, Clemson was statistically ranked among the 30 worst pass defenses in college football.
But whatever buttons Goodwin has pushed of late have worked. Clemson has responded by allowing just 23 points in its last two games, which included a second-half shutout last week in the Tigers’ 31-3 win at Boston College. The Tigers yielded just 220 yards through the air while holding the Eagles to less than a 50% completion rate.
After allowing at least 259 passing yards in three of its first four games, Clemson hasn’t given up more than 245 in its last two despite still being without multiple starters in the secondary.
“Just gaining confidence,” Goodwin said. “I feel like the (players) as well have a better understanding of my play calling, my expectations and just all the chemistry and cohesion that goes with that.”
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said he’s proud of the progress Goodwin has made in getting to know the pulse of his players and adjusting accordingly.
“Those are things he and I have talked about along the way,” Swinney said. “He’s such a good dude. He’s just a great guy. There’s nobody that doesn’t like Wes. Now there are times where (the player) may not like you as much. That just comes with it.
“Leadership is hard. And I think he’s really grown into that as far as really knowing when he needs to challenge and when he doesn’t. And he’s just going to keep getting better and better.”
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