Clemson’s latest answer to its defensive tackle problem came from inside the building.
Junior defensive end Darien Mayo slid to the interior during the Tigers’ 24-10 win over Cal on Sept. 25, and the move paid off immediately. Mayo logged 40 snaps, made four tackles and knocked away a pass that helped force a turnover on downs. With Clemson still searching for bodies at defensive tackle, the staff is now testing whether Mayo can be part of the solution beyond one night.
Coach Dabo Swinney didn’t commit to the move being permanent.
“We'll see. It was a good move for us for that game, just trying to create some depth long term,” he said.
“He had one missed assignment and practiced two days. Just a really smart kid.
Understands the big picture of the scheme. He was a bright spot for us.”
Mayo said Swinney first brought up the idea during Monday practice before the Friday night game at Cal.
“I was like, ‘Whatever for the team.’ I feel great about it.
I think it’s good for me, showing my versatility,” he said. “I was a little surprised, honestly, but I thought about it as like a good thing for me.”
He still doesn’t know if the switch is permanent, but he made clear he’s ready to keep doing whatever Clemson needs. Right now, that means helping patch a defensive tackle room that has been hit hard by injuries.
The Tigers tried to address the spot in the offseason by bringing in Devarrick Woods from Texas State, Kourtney Kelly from Georgia State and Markus Strong from Oklahoma through the transfer portal. Clemson also added Andy Burburija from Iowa Western, giving Swinney his first junior college signee.
But the injuries stacked up anyway. Kelly tore his ACL in spring and has missed all of preseason camp and the first four games of 2026.
Swinney said he hopes Kelly returns sometime after the bye on Oct. 10.
Strong suffered a season-ending injury in the home opener at LSU, and Woods sat out the Cal game but is expected back against Miami.
The group is also without Hevin Brown-Shuler, who is out for the season while recovering from Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Vic Burley is back with the team after being suspended Aug. 22 for a public disorderly conduct charge, but Swinney said his conditioning fell “way behind” during his time away, so he’s still trying to work his way into the rotation.
Clemson has already tried other fixes. The Tigers moved 6-foot-5, 355-pound offensive lineman Dietrick Pennington into a hybrid role for short-yardage packages, and defensive coordinator Tom Allen has adjusted the defense to account for the shortage up front. That has meant schemes that add rushers at the line of scrimmage, a response to a unit that ranks 64th in sacks and 101st in tackles for loss.
Allen said the idea to move Mayo inside came out of that kind of problem-solving.
“We're not the NFL. There's no waiver wire to go to grab a guy off of, so when you lose somebody, you got to take them from within your team,” Allen said. “I think it definitely kind of forced our hand a little bit, you know, because of the injuries.”
Mayo has been working at both defensive tackle and defensive end this week as Clemson prepares for No. 4 Miami on Oct.
- Against the Hurricanes’ No. 1 ranked offense, the Tigers will get a better read on whether Mayo is a real long-term option inside or simply the next stop in a season-long search for depth.
“Doing both is really good for me, and I love it.”
In Other News...
Clemson Faces A Pressure Spot Dabo Has Rarely Seen At Home
Clemson gets a different kind of Saturday spotlight with No. 4 Miami coming to town for an ACC matchup that carries an unusual betting line for Memorial Stadium. The Hurricanes are favored by 16.5 points, which makes this the biggest home underdog spot Clemson has faced under Dabo Swinney, a surprising place for a program that has spent years expecting to be the hunter, not the hunted.
The matchup comes with a few other layers, too, from injury reports that leave several Clemson players either available or questionable to the possibility of rain and thunderstorms turning the night messy. Clemson has shown signs of life defensively, but the offense still has plenty to prove, which is why the prediction leans Miamis way even before the weather enters the picture. [Read more 🡒]
Clemsons Secondary Faces Its Biggest Test Against A Familiar Quarterback
Clemsons secondary is heading into a matchup that already feels familiar, and not in a comforting way. Miami quarterback Darian Mensah has been one of the leagues more dangerous passers this season, and the Tigers know firsthand how quickly he can stress a defense after his time at Duke. Now at Miami, Mensah arrives with a new system and a deeper supporting cast, giving Clemson another chance to see whether its back end can match up with a quarterback who has already shown he can make life difficult in Death Valley.
Tom Allens defense has spent the build-up searching for answers in recent film, trying to sort out the best way to handle Miamis passing game and the weapons around Mensah. Clemson does not just have to account for a quarterback in rhythm, it has to prepare for a different kind of challenge than the one it saw before, with Miamis receivers giving the offense more ways to attack every level of the field. For a secondary that has been under the microscope, this is the kind of test that can reveal a lot in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson's Miami Test Could Shake Dabo's Future Recruiting Momentum
Clemsons matchup with Miami carries more weight than the ACC standings alone, because the ripple effects could reach deep into the Tigers recruiting board. The program is trying to keep its footing with the 2027 and 2028 classes, and this one feels like the kind of game that can either steady that momentum or make it harder to sell what comes next.
The focus is especially sharp on two 2027 commitments, Jayden Aparicio-Bailey and Jamarin Simmons, as National Signing Day still leaves plenty of time for outside pressure to build. Clemson wants this trip to serve as proof of where the program is headed, but a rough night could turn an already tricky recruiting picture into something more unstable, with other schools ready to keep poking at the Tigers pledges. [Read more 🡒]