Clemson will be short two pieces on the defensive line when it lines up against Charleston Southern, with defensive tackle Devarrick Woods and defensive end Armon Mason both not expected to dress.
The Tigers are coming out of a bye week, and this matchup is being treated as a chance to come away healthy more than anything else. That concern matters even more with Virginia Tech waiting next weekend, a game that could have much bigger implications for Clemson’s season.
For this one, most of Clemson’s roster should be available. Woods and Mason are the exceptions.
Both are in street clothes, and the expectation is that neither will play against the Buccaneers. The setup suggests the staff may be playing it safe and keeping them available for the Virginia Tech game.
Clemson injury update: Among players listed on Monday's two-deep depth chart, co-starting DT Devarrick Woods and backup DE Armon Mason aren't expected to dress or play vs. Charleston Southern today. Everyone else expected to be available
- Chapel Fowler (@chapelfowler) October 17, 2026
That absence lands on a defensive line that has already been the defense’s soft spot at the halfway point of the season. It is one thing to manage a couple of bodies in a game Clemson should handle. It is another to take any hit to a unit that has struggled to carry its weight.
The Tigers can breathe a little easier knowing this is not a situation where several key starters are sidelined. If names like Amare Adams, Andy Burburija, Darien Mayo, or Champ Thompson were out, this would feel a lot more serious. Even so, losing Woods and Mason is not ideal, especially with the defensive front needing all the help it can get.
There is some context behind the concern. Vic Burley has barely made a mark this season, and Markus Strong suffered a season-ending injury against LSU in Week 1. Clemson’s defensive line ceiling may already be limited, which makes every absence feel louder.
The broader issue is that the defense needs the front to improve in a hurry. If the line cannot get better, the whole unit feels it. The pass rush has shown flashes, but the real problem has been run defense, where Clemson has not been getting the kind of penetration it needs to shut down ball carriers early.
That leaves the secondary and linebackers carrying more of the load. Clemson has one of the better secondaries in the ACC, and the linebacker group has become a two-man wrecking crew with Jeremiah Alexander rising to Sammy Brown’s occasion. Still, the line remains the bottleneck.
For Charleston Southern, Clemson should be fine without Woods and Mason. The bigger picture is next Saturday night, when Virginia Tech comes to town. That game is a step up in competition and could go a long way toward determining whether Clemson still has an outside shot at Charlotte this season.
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