Clemson RB David Eziomume Ruled Out for Remainder of 2026

After suffering a brutal injury in the first quarter of this past weekend's contest, the redshirt sophomore will now miss the remainder of the 2026 season.

On Sunday, Dabo Swinney announced that Clemson RB David Eziomume will be out for the remainder of 2026 after suffering a lower-leg injury against Cal. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Clemson has already been hit hard by season-ending injuries, most notably to true freshman safety Polo Anderson and Oklahoma transfer defensive tackle Markus Strong. 

During Saturday's 24-10 road win over Cal, the Tigers lost another player when redshirt sophomore running back David Eziomume was carted off the field in the first quarter.

Eziomume was hurt while blocking on a kickoff return that followed Cal's scoop-and-score off a fumble by Clemson quarterback Tait Reynolds.

After the win, head coach Dabo Swinney addressed the situation, saying it didn't "sound good" and likening Eziomume's injury to the one Strong suffered against No. 11 LSU in Week 1.

Swinney confirmed the injury yesterday on his weekly radio show, Tiger Hour, saying the fourth-string running back will miss the rest of the season, calling it a "tough loss."

Eziomume also broke his silence following the injury, posting a heartfelt message to X early Saturday morning.

"Lord I thank you, for you are an amazing God," he wrote. "I never question your works for I know it all has meaning. I love y'all and I'll be back soon."

Lord I thank you , for you are an amazing God. I never question your works for I know it all has meaning. I love yall and I’ll be back soon ❤️💯 https://t.co/4SnQxS7C6n

— David Eziomume ✞ (@EziomumeDaee) September 26, 2026

The Kennesaw, Georgia, native is primarily a depth running back who's seen action in just one game this season, which was during the team's season-opener in Baton Rouge, earning one carry for an 11-yard touchdown amidst the 51-10 blowout. 

Prior to 2026, Eziomume received 100 total offensive snaps across 14 contests the past two years, carrying the ball 26 times for 133 yards while adding three receptions for 10 yards through the air.

Heading forward, the room won't change much, considering the redshirt sophomore was the fourth string behind sophomore Gideon Davidson, fourth-year Jarvis Green and SMU transfer Chris Johnson Jr.

Davidson, who was the backup behind now-Baltimore Ravens running back Adam Randall in 2025, started slow to begin this year but has exploded over the past two weeks, totaling 38 carries for 264 yards and three touchdowns.

Johnson Jr. entered the season as the presumed backup, out-carrying Green 10 to six over the first two weeks, but that arrangement changed quickly. It started with his benching against North Carolina in Week 3 for failing to hit the correct gap, which left him with just three offensive snaps. Green stepped into the backup role and made the most of it, totaling 22 yards on five carries.

This past weekend played out much the same way. Green again earned more snaps (21 to 15), more carries (seven to five), and he was more productive with his touches, averaging 4.4 yards per carry (31 yards) compared to Johnson's 3.2 (16 yards).

Enjoy our content? Make ClemsonOnSI a preferred source to see more stories from us on Google by clicking here.