Injuries Continue to be an Issue as Clemson Enters Final Week of Spring

CLEMSON, S.C. — Injuries have been a bugaboo for the Clemson Football Program dating back to last season. They have continued this spring.

As the Tigers begin their final week of spring practices, Clemson’s coaches are doing everything they can to have enough players available to practice.

“We got a lot of guys out,” head coach Dabo Swinney said following the Tigers’ situational scrimmage this past Wednesday.

Swinney reported around 15 players did not participate in the scrimmage at Memorial Stadium for various reasons.

“It is like minor league baseball,” he said. “We are kinda having to console our coaches in a couple of spots because you got what you got. We have a lot of guys that need work, but you have to put eleven out there.

“So, we got linebackers playing corner. We got a little bit of everything, just so we can get the practice in. It is like minor league baseball. They have to get games. You got to get reps. So, you have to put a team together so you can play games.”

However, Swinney says the players that really needed the work are getting it for the most part. He did report freshman offensive lineman Collin Sadler missed Wednesday’s scrimmage and will likely be out the rest of the spring. Right tackle Walker Parks will miss the rest of the spring with mononucleosis.

“We are confident in those young guys…Blake (Miller) and seeing all those linemen getting different roles, whether they are playing left tackle or right tackle. (Bryn) Tucker and Trent (Howard) and all of those guys getting a bunch of work. And the same thing on the defensive line side,” Swinney said. “Payton (Page) and (DeMonte) Capehart, ET (Etinosa Reuben), (Cade) Denoff and Zaire (Patterson). We just have a lot of guys getting a ton of work that really, really need it.

“From that standpoint. I feel really good about it, but we are just thin. We are just thin in some areas. It is what it is there. We are just trying to evaluate the guys we need to evaluate and not get frustrated with a linebacker, a walk-on, playing corner.”

Besides the news on Sadler and Parks, Swinney also mentioned wide receiver Beaux Collins is out for the rest of the spring as he nurses a hamstring injury he suffered while running routes during spring break. Cornerback Sheridan Jones is out, as he nurses a groin injury, as is freshman corner Jeadyn Lukus, who had surgery on his shoulder during spring break.

Prior to spring practice starting on March 2, Swinney announced several players were either out or would be limited in spring practices due to off-season surgery or rehab, including defensive tackles Bryan Bresee and Tre Williams, running back Will Shipley and Kobe Pace, tight ends Davis Allen and Sage Ennis and safeties Tyler Venables and Lannden Zanders.

Clemson will practice again on Monday and Wednesday before ending spring practices with its annual Orange and White Spring Game next Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

The Tigers are among the favorites to win the national title according to Fanduel at +1000.