Key Clemson Defender Available to Play Against South Carolina

According to the Clemson Tigers’ travel report, head coach Dabo Swinney could be returning a key piece to his defensive line in this season’s Palmetto Bowl.

From a team spokesperson, Clemson defensive tackle Stephiylan Green is on the team’s travel roster, meaning that he is available to play if needed against the South Carolina Gamecocks today.

Green has missed the last two games and has been a co-starter on the team’s defensive line this season. He has recorded 14 total tackles and two sacks over the course of the season, playing alongside the likes of DeMonte Capehart and Peter Woods as an interior lineman.

The Rome, Georgia, native will look to stifle a South Carolina run game that features starter Rahsul Fiason and quarterback LaNorris Sellers, who ran for 166 yards and two touchdowns in Clemson’s Palmetto Bowl loss at home last season.

Defensive coordinator Tom Allen has made it a point of emphasis to stop the standout quarterback and the explosive run game this season, which is a reason why he was hired to be the coach of the defense in the first place.

“Anytime you have a player on the team you’re about to play that can take a game over single-handedly with whatever skillset he has, then you better do a good job of being able to address that,” Allen said on Tuesday afternoon during his media availability.

It is also important to note that quarterback Chris Denson is also on Clemson’s travel roster for today’s game. Denson had two standout drives in the Tigers’ last game against Furman last weekend, rushing for 106 yards and a touchdown in the home finale.

In practice this week, Denson has been acting like Sellers on the scout team, due to his ability to use his legs to extend plays. However, the true freshman suffered a foot injury at the beginning of the week, and Swinney did not know how bad the injury was at the beginning of the week.

If the Tigers are looking to use more gadget plays, such as designed quarterback runs or even trick plays, that’s where Denson could make an impact, if Swinney and offensive coordinator Garrett Riley are looking to roll the dice in this year’s Palmetto Bowl. For now, it will be starter Cade Klubnik to take most of, if not all of, the snaps behind center in Columbia, South Carolina.

Kickoff is set for noon from Williams-Brice Stadium, and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.