Clemson’s first trip to the West Coast for an ACC game comes with a thinner roster than Dabo Swinney would probably like.
The Tigers head to Cal on Friday night for their second ACC matchup of the season, and the ACC’s mandatory injury report says Clemson will be missing three key players. Defensive lineman Devarrick Woods, running back Jay Haynes and cornerback Corian Gipson were all moved to out on Wednesday night after each had been listed as questionable the night before.
Woods is the biggest loss up front. He started against North Carolina last weekend as a co-starter and played through for one tackle, but his presence mattered on a defensive line that has already taken hits. Markus Strong and Polo Anderson are both already done for the season, and Kourtney Kelly has also been part of the injury traffic in that room.
Clemson does at least get some help back with graduate senior Vic Burley returning from suspension. He made an immediate impact in his first snap back, recovering a fumble. Burley should be part of the rotation behind true freshman Amare Adams and transfer Andy Burburija, with junior Champ Thompson also in the mix for more snaps in Woods’ absence.
Haynes still hasn’t played this season as he works back from the lingering injury tied to his torn ACL in the 2024 ACC Championship. He was the backup in that game, which ended with Clemson reaching the College Football Playoff.
Even without Haynes, the Tigers have options in the backfield. Gideon Davidson has the momentum as the starter, while SMU transfer Chris Johnson Jr. and Jarvis Green have both gotten run through the first three games.
David Eziomume also found the end zone against LSU.
Gipson’s situation trims Clemson’s options in the secondary. He has mostly lined up at the TIGER spot when available, but Swinney said he got “banged up” against North Carolina, which limited his workload last week.
Branden Strozier appears to be the most likely candidate to step in, after logging the most snaps among the alternatives and finishing with two tackles against the Tar Heels. Misun “Tink” Kelley has also played, and Auburn transfer Donovan Starr has shown the kind of speed that stands out immediately.
That leaves Clemson heading three time zones away without several players who have already mattered this season. The upside for the Tigers is that this kind of night can also open the door for other names to matter more than they have so far.
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