Clemson’s trip to California on Friday night was already going to test a defense that has plenty on its plate. Now the Tigers will head into it without two of their starters.
The latest ACC availability report lists starting nickel corner Corian Gipson and starting defensive tackle Devarrick Woods as OUT after both had been tagged questionable earlier in the week. That takes two more pieces out of a Clemson defense trying to hold things together against the No. 14 passing offense in the country.
Gipson had opened the season as the slot corner after stepping into that role late in the 2025 campaign. He played the first two snaps last week, then exited and did not return.
With him unavailable, Clemson is expected to lean on Misun Kelley and Donovan Starr on the depth chart. Branden Strozier logged a season-high 23 snaps in the win over North Carolina, and the Tigers could also move him to the boundary while giving Elliot Washington II some nickel work.
The situation up front is even thinner. Clemson has never been more short-handed at defensive tackle, and that was before this week’s report.
Woods had played 67 snaps over the first three games while filling in for Markus Strong, the fellow transfer who is out for the season. Another transfer, Kourtney Kelly, was supposed to be part of the mix but has been sidelined with a torn ACL since the spring.
That leaves Amare Adams and Andy Burburija as the expected starters Friday night. Vic Burley returned from suspension last week and made an impact by recovering a fumble, while Champ Thompson has already piled up 85 snaps and should continue to factor into the rotation. Dietrick Pennington, a 355-pound former offensive guard, is also being used for spot duty on the defensive interior.
Running back Jay Haynes remains out as well after missing all three games so far. He was also listed questionable because of an undisclosed injury. Haynes has not recorded a stat since Clemson’s ACC title win over SMU in December 2024.
There is at least one positive update for the Tigers. Christopher Vizzina, who left the home opener against Georgia Southern with a non-throwing arm injury and wore a brace on the sideline last week, is probable.
Even so, he is expected to work only as a backup this week while Tait Reynolds makes his first road start. Reynolds won his first career start last week and passed for 215 yards.
In Other News...
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The program has dealt with late nights before, including two games this season that were pushed back by weather. And while this one will test patience on the East Coast, it will not stand as Clemsons latest start on record, leaving a bit of historical trivia in the background as the Tigers head west for an unusual conference trip. [Read more 🡒]
Clemsons Defense Is Driving One Clear Friday Night Expectation
Friday nights slate offers Clemson one game that should feel especially familiar to Tiger fans: a matchup with California that profiles more as a defensive grind than a track meet. The preview of the college football schedule leans hard into the idea that points could be scarce, pointing to two teams that have had trouble generating much efficiency on offense and inviting a closer look at how Clemson wants to control the game.
The broader betting card around the night also reflects that same low-scoring caution, with the analysis favoring the under in Clemsons game rather than asking either side to win a shootout. For Clemson, that makes the defensive standard the clearest expectation heading into Friday, and it leaves the Tigers in a spot where field position, patience and a few timely stops may matter far more than style points. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Walks Into A Strange Road Atmosphere For First Berkeley Trip
Clemsons first trip to Berkeley is shaping up as more than just another road game, with California coach Tosh Lupoi trying to build a primetime atmosphere around the visit to California Memorial Stadium. Lupoi, hired by Cal on Dec. 4, 2025, has been encouraging students to show up and make the stadium feel like a proper college football stage when the Tigers come to town.
The backdrop in Berkeley is a little unusual, though, because the program is still operating without Lupois contract or term sheet finalized nearly 10 months after his hiring. For Clemson, it adds one more layer to a matchup that already carries the novelty of a first-ever Berkeley trip, with the setting likely to matter as much as the chess match on the field. [Read more 🡒]