Clemson starting left guard Elyjah Thurmon was carted off the field against Florida State on Oct. 31 after taking a hit to the head on a run play in the second quarter.
The Tigers and Seminoles were tied 10-10 with 9:49 left before halftime when Thurmon went down on first-and-20. He had worked into a pile of players to help running back Jarvis Green pick up extra yards when a Florida State defender struck him in the head.
Thurmon briefly moved his arm while trainers attended to him. At halftime, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney told the ACC Network that Thurmon is responsive and moving.
A Clemson football spokesperson said Thurmon is being taken to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital for further evaluation, and his mother is with him in the ambulance.
It’s the second injury of the season for Thurmon, who also was hurt on Sept. 25 against California. Clemson has sophomore Gavin Blanchard listed as the backup at left guard.
Thurmon is in his third season with the Tigers and his first as a starter. A native of Rienzi, Mississippi, he attended Bradwell Institute in Georgia and came to Clemson as a four-star recruit. He played in the Under Armour All-American Game and was ranked by 247Sports as the No. 12 interior offensive lineman in the Class of 2024.
Thurmon also had a special moment earlier this month on Clemson’s Military Appreciation Day. Before the Tigers’ 37-0 win over Charleston Southern on Oct. 17, he led Clemson down The Hill at Memorial Stadium carrying an American flag. He later joined his parents on the field during a first-quarter timeout as they were honored for their service.
"I can't explain how happy I was," Thurmon said. "Once I got off the bus and stood in front of the entire crowd on The Hill with the flag in my hand, I kinda blacked out for a second. I was so happy."
Thurmon’s parents, Tammie Williams and Earnest Thurmon, are veterans of the U.S. Army. His grandfather, Walter Williams, also served in the Army, and his great-uncle, David Harris, served in the Marines.
In Other News...
Clemson Fans Finally Got The Elyjah Thurmon Update They Needed
Clemson got an anxious moment early in its game against Florida State when left guard Elyjah Thurmon went down after a head-on hit from a Seminoles linebacker. The scene quickly turned from football to concern as Thurmon was stabilized on a stretcher and taken to a nearby hospital, with his mother accompanying him off the field.
There was at least one encouraging sign before he left the stadium: Thurmon gave a thumbs-up, a small but meaningful indication that he had movement in his extremities. For a Clemson team and fan base that had been holding its breath, it was the kind of update that mattered most in the moment, even as the full extent of the injury remained a concern. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State's Mike Norvell Backlash Just Turned Into A Public Spectacle
Florida States frustration with Mike Norvell has been building for weeks, but it spilled into a more public form during the game against Clemson when fans displayed a plane banner calling for his firing. The message was misspelled, but the sentiment was unmistakable, and it landed at a moment when the Seminoles are already dealing with a losing record and a run of poor performances that has only sharpened the pressure around the program.
Norvells contract only adds another layer to the situation. He signed an eight-year extension through 2031, and any move to part ways with him would come with a significant buyout and a duty-to-mitigate clause, which means the financial side of any decision would be as complicated as the football side. For a fan base already on edge, the banner was a reminder that the conversation around the Seminoles is no longer happening quietly. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Finally Got The Win It Needed As One Tiger Took Over Late
Clemson got the kind of win it needed on Oct. 31, and it came with a little bit of everything. The Tigers beat Florida State 36-24 behind a defense that kept creating extra possessions, forcing four turnovers while the Seminoles never managed one of their own. It was the sort of complete effort that had been missing at times this season, and it gave Clemson a much-needed lift.
Freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds provided the finishing touch late, breaking free for a 79-yard rushing touchdown to put the game away. The night also carried a sobering moment when starting left guard Elyjah Thurmon was injured on a helmet hit and taken to the hospital, a reminder that even in a needed victory, the toll can be real. [Read more 🡒]