Clemson walked out of fall camp with more questions than answers, and the timing could hardly be tighter. The Tigers are now turning the page to a Week 1 road trip to LSU, with Dabo Swinney’s team trying to rebound from its worst season in well over a decade. Clemson isn’t ranked to open the year, but it still has a path to the ACC title game and, with it, a shot at the College Football Playoff.
That backdrop makes the last few weeks of camp even more revealing. Swinney said the penultimate practice was the worst one of the summer, which tells you plenty about how uneven things got. Still, a few players clearly helped themselves, a few took major hits, and the depth chart is starting to take shape.
Andy Burburija might have changed Clemson’s defensive line picture the most. The junior college transfer from Iowa Western was one of the rare bright spots in a position group that struggled throughout camp, showing up again and again by blowing up offensive linemen in practice.
That matters even more because Vic Burley’s summer went off the rails. Burley was inconsistent, dealt with injuries, and then was arrested for disorderly conduct right after camp ended, which led to his suspension from the program.
Unless something unexpected happens, Burburija is now headed into a starting role.
Burley, meanwhile, stands as the clearest loser of camp. He was supposed to be part of the answer for a defensive line that needed leadership and production, but instead his summer ended in injury, arrest, and suspension. The timing at least spared Clemson from carrying that situation into Week 1, but it left the Tigers with one less option and one more reminder of how badly camp went for that unit.
At quarterback, the picture is starting to settle around Christopher Vizzina. He spent camp battling Tait Reynolds for the job, and while Reynolds may offer the higher ceiling, Vizzina appears to be the steadier choice for now.
Even after a shaky showing in Clemson’s second intra-squad scrimmage, the veteran looks likely to get the first crack at starting. He hasn’t been officially named the starter yet, but the direction is obvious.
That leaves Chris Denson in a very different spot. He’s no longer in the quarterback mix at all, after the staff moved him to wide receiver late in camp.
Denson had been in the race with Vizzina and Reynolds, but the separation was enough to push him out of the competition. Now he sits fifth on the depth chart at Z receiver behind Bryant Wesco Jr.
It may help Clemson keep his talent in the building, but it also marks a major shift in his role.
In the secondary, Ashton Hampton did exactly what Clemson needed him to do. With Avieon Terrell off to the NFL, the Tigers needed someone to step up and stabilize a position group that left plenty to be desired last season.
Hampton apparently had a huge camp and emerged as the playmaker the defense was looking for. He may not be the loudest leader, but he can still lead by example, and Clemson needs that from a corner Tom Allen can trust on the perimeter.
Sammy Brown may still be the defense’s best player, but Hampton’s camp suggests he could be closer to that level than many expected.
Then there’s Polo Anderson, whose freshman season ended before it ever really got going. The true freshman had been moving up the depth chart and looked like a player with a real chance to help early, but he tore his ACL midway through camp.
That wipes out his entire first season and takes away the chance to keep building through practice reps and game experience. It’s a brutal setback for a player who was making progress quickly.
Anderson and Hampton were both making the most of their opportunities, but only one of them gets to keep going.
In Other News...
Clemsons LSU Opener Just Got A Twist Dabo Didnt Need
Clemsons buildup to the LSU opener picked up a little more intrigue this week with a roster wrinkle that could affect the Tigers first major test of the season. Former Browns tight end DaeQuan Wright has reportedly been waived by Cleveland, and if he clears waivers, he has an agreement in place to suit up for LSU in 2026, thanks to a new NCAA rule that allows certain players to return to college football after going pro.
Wrights path has already taken him from Virginia Tech to Ole Miss before his brief NFL stop, and the possibility of him landing back in the SEC gives LSU another experienced piece to consider down the line. For Clemson, the bigger issue is the same one it has had from the moment the opener was announced: preparing for a matchup that could look a little different by the time it arrives, with LSU continuing to explore ways to add proven talent to the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson May Need Dietrick Pennington More Than Fans Realize Up Front
Dietrick Penningtons move from the offensive line to the defensive line is one of those roster changes that can look minor at first glance but carry real weight once the season starts. Clemson is planning to use him on both sides of the ball in 2026, and Dabo Swinney has made clear the Tigers want his size available in the tightest spots, especially when the field shrinks and the game gets physical near the end zone.
For Clemson, the broader point is about depth as much as versatility. Pennington gives the staff another option at defensive tackle after NFL departures thinned that room, and his usage in short-yardage and goal-line situations suggests the Tigers believe he can help immediately without needing a full-time switch. The only real question now is how much more the staff asks of him once the season arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson's LSU Opener Will Spotlight Dabo's Biggest College Football Fight
Clemsons season opener against LSU already carries plenty of weight on the field, but it also arrives with a bigger backdrop that has long bothered Dabo Swinney. The Tigers head coach has been vocal about his concerns with the current college football system, especially the transfer landscape and what it can mean for academics, and this matchup offers a fresh look at the kind of roster churn that now shapes elite programs.
LSU has continued to add experienced pieces ahead of next season, including former Ole Miss tight end DaeQuan Wright, who is expected to join the program after being waived by the Browns, and Notre Dame edge rusher Junior Tuihalamaka, who is back with a fifth year of eligibility. For Clemson, the opener is more than a marquee nonconference test. It is another reminder of the fight Swinney has been pushing for as the sport keeps leaning further into movement, flexibility and a system he clearly believes has lost its balance. [Read more 🡒]