CLEMSON — When Luke Ferrelli upped and left Clemson in January for Ole Miss, it put Clemson in a pinch at linebacker.
The Tigers entered the transfer portal season with the goal of targeting one linebacker. Once Ferrelli committed, they ended their search. They had their guy.
They felt really good when Ferrelli took his name out of the portal, enrolled in school, started attending classes and was even in team related activities. But it’s well-documented what happened after that and what, or whom, caused Ferrelli to all of sudden leave Clemson hanging.
Ferrelli’s late departure cost Clemson from getting a linebacker to fill that need, which was open due to the departure of Wade Woodaz to graduation and Jamal Anderson, Jr., who entered the transfer portal.
Depth was an issue, or at least that is what defensive coordinator Tom Allen thought. That does not appear to be the case anymore.
“I am excited. I feel way better after four days,” Allen said on Monday. “Just because I feel there are a bunch of hungry guys in there that have something to prove and must take the next big step and we need them to do that.
“So, to me, that is a challenge to them and that is the opportunity they have been presented with.”
With linebacker Sammy Brown missing time due to a wrist injury, Allen says other guys are getting opportunities that they normally would not be getting this time of year.
“Obviously, Sammy is a special, special player, but we have to have several other guys to step up,” he said. “I can see us being a deep group of guys, with a lot more guys ready to play than we had a year ago, so that excites me.
“So, I feel like, we have to have a great rest of spring, but I feel like we made progress in that room and that room can be one of our strengths when it is all said and done.”
Right now, Allen is challenging all of his linebackers to come out of the spring better than they were when practice began.
“How better can we get every time we take the field – in our run fits, in our pass drops, just making productive plays,” he said. “Right now, Sammy has been out a little bit, but he will be back here soon. But it has been good that other guys have had a chance to play.
“There is competition at every position. That is probably the biggest difference. I finished last spring concerned about our depth. I really was, and it proved to be an issue.”
But at least right now, Allen does not think that will be the case in 2026, though Ferrelli almost messed that up.