Clemson does not need its defense to be perfect out of the gate, but it does need more than a handful of stars carrying the load. Tom Allen is back for Year 2 as defensive coordinator, and while his system usually benefits from time, the Tigers are not in a position to wait around for everything to click on its own. The help has to come from somewhere, and a few underrated names could be the difference between a unit that settles in and one that sputters.
Andy Burburija is the most intriguing of the bunch. The junior college transfer has made a real impression in camp and has done more than just earn notice - he is pushing unreliable veteran Vic Burley for snaps and could even take Burley’s starting job at defensive tackle.
The source material makes it clear that Burburija has been “blowing people up” throughout training camp, which is exactly the kind of force Clemson needs up front. He comes from Iowa Western, and the jump to ACC playoff contention is a steep one, but Clemson should feel good about landing a player who was “well sought after” out of junior college.
There is also room for Darien Mayo to carve out a bigger role on the edge. He is sitting right behind Will Heldt, and that puts him in a spot where he can learn from two of Clemson’s defensive leaders, including linebacker Sammy Brown.
Mayo has been around for two years, but the production has not shown up yet: no sacks, five combined tackles, and just half a tackle for loss across 10 games. That’s a thin résumé.
Still, with his place on the depth chart rising, the door is open for him to make real noise this season. The expectation here is that he gets his first sack for Clemson and then adds more.
London Merritt brings a different angle entirely. He spent last season at Colorado after being a highly coveted high school recruit, and now he is back much closer to home.
The Atlanta native and former Woodward Academy standout also spent part of his high school career at IMG Academy before committing to Colorado, so this move to Clemson gives him a fresh start and, in the source’s words, the chance to play “unencumbered football closer to home.” That matters.
A change of scenery can do plenty for a player, and Merritt appears set to be a lively part of Clemson’s defensive line rotation this year.
For Clemson, these are not headline names. That is exactly the point. If Tom Allen’s defense is going to round into form, it may need Burburija, Mayo, and Merritt to step into real roles and give the Tigers something extra in the trenches.
In Other News...
Clemson Heads To LSU With Dabos Team-Building Beliefs Under Pressure
Clemsons trip to LSU also brings into focus one of the sports bigger philosophical divides, the one between Dabo Swinneys long-standing belief in building from within and the faster, more transactional model that has taken hold around college football. Swinney has always leaned on high school recruiting and development, asking players to stay patient and grow into the program, while LSU under Lane Kiffin has shown how aggressively the transfer portal can be used to reshape a roster in a hurry.
The contrast is easy to see in the quarterbacks. Christopher Vizzina has remained inside Clemsons system and waited his turn, a path that fits Swinneys approach, while Sam Leavitt arrived at LSU after multiple transfers and a significant NIL offer. Both staffs now use the portal, but the difference in how often and why they reach for it says plenty about the pressure on old-school roster building as Clemson heads into a game that doubles as a measuring stick for both methods. [Read more 🡒]
Former Clemson Star Deshaun Watson Faces An Ugly Cleveland Reality
Deshaun Watsons stay in Cleveland has never felt smooth, and the latest reminder came during a preseason game when Browns fans booed the former Clemson star. Watson brushed off the moment as more than just football noise, saying the reaction felt personal and disrespectful, while head coach Todd Monken acknowledged the crowds frustration and pointed back to the simple fix every quarterback faces in that market.
Watson is entering the final season of his contract after a stretch defined by injuries and uneven play since he joined the Browns, which has only sharpened the pressure around every appearance. For Clemson fans who watched him rise into one of the sports biggest names, the uncomfortable truth is that his NFL chapter now carries a very different kind of scrutiny, with each outing helping determine how much longer Cleveland is willing to ride with him. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Suddenly Has A Defensive Line Problem Before A Huge Opener
Clemsons defensive line took an abrupt hit this week when Dabo Swinney announced the indefinite suspension of tackle Vic Burley after the sophomore was arrested for disorderly conduct by university police. Burley arrived as a highly regarded member of the 2023 recruiting class, but his on-field role has been limited over the past two seasons, making the timing of this development especially notable as the Tigers try to settle their front.
The suspension lands only two weeks before Clemson opens against LSU, a matchup that already carried plenty of attention and now has one more layer of uncertainty attached to it. For a position group that was counting on depth and development, losing a player with Burleys profile, even temporarily, forces the Tigers to keep shuffling their plans at the worst possible moment. [Read more 🡒]