Wesley Goodwin knows as well as anyone the expectations for Clemson’s defense. And not just because of the personnel he will be running out on the field come Labor Day night.
That’s certainly part of it. The Tigers are breaking in a new-look secondary full of potential and possess one of the more athletic collection of linebackers Dabo Swinney has had during his tenure as head coach, but it all starts with what’s widely viewed as one of college football’s best defensive lines. With the Tigers’ entire two-deep up front back from last season, Clemson has a line littered with future NFL talent and quality depth to go with it.
Having quality defenses isn’t anything new for Clemson, though. The Tigers have owned one of college football’s top 25 scoring defenses for 10 consecutive years. In five of those seasons, including a No. 2 finish last season, Clemson has ranked in the top 10 in that category.
That standard was set by Brent Venables, who was primarily responsible for constructing those defenses as college football’s highest-paid defensive coordinator. Now Venables is tackling his first head coaching job at the University of Oklahoma, and Goodwin, who spent the last handful of seasons as Venables’ right-hand man in an off-field role, was promoted as his successor in December.
Goodwin is 14 years younger than the 51-year-old Venables, and the two couldn’t be much different from a personality standpoint.
Known for his fiery demeanor and booming voice on the practice field, Venables coaches with an intensity that needs help being reined in at times. Venables had his own personal “get-back” coach at Clemson that helped pull him back toward the sideline when he crept out too far from it during games.
“I don’t need one,” Goodwin said. “Maybe he does.”
Goodwin isn’t exactly quiet, some of his players said, but he’s more reserved than Venables. But Goodwin said that shouldn’t be mistaken for a lack of passion for the job he’s been preparing for since he got his start in college coaching as a student assistant at Mississippi State nearly two decades ago.
“He’s got to do what he’s got to do. I’ve got to be myself,” Goodwin said. “I’m just as intense and focused. I might just not be as outwardly as that, but I promise you there’s nobody that wants to coach these guys harder and more intently than I do. Just always coaching and correcting in the moment.
“Before I got in this profession, this is what I’ve always wanted, a long-term goal of mine. I’ve been preparing for this moment. I’ve had my daily schedule planned for a while. Now it’s just my time to go enact everything I see from that standpoint.”
Goodwin will get his first shot at being the Tigers’ full-time defensive play-caller when Clemson opens the season against Georgia Tech in a little more than two weeks. The only similarity to his predecessor that Goodwin is concerned about is the results.
“Obviously there’s a lot of expectations and stuff, but I don’t necessarily worry about all of that,” he said. “I want these guys to go play to their potential. It doesn’t necessarily matter how things were done in the past. I want those guys to live up to their potential. Whatever our best is, that’s what I want our best to be. I think we have a chance to be really special.”
Dear Old Clemson has added to the store posters signed by all 20 members of Clemson’s 2022 football class.
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