Clemson’s backcourt took another brutal hit this week, and the timing couldn’t be worse for a team trying to piece together its 2026-27 outlook.
Sophomore guard Zac Foster tore his ACL, the program announced Tuesday. It’s the same right knee ACL that sidelined him in December 2025 and ended his freshman season after 12 games. Per TigerIllustrated.com, the injury happened during Clemson’s closed preseason scrimmage against College of Charleston over the weekend.
Foster had spent the past nine months working his way back from that first ACL tear, and Clemson said there is “no timetable” for his return. Still, the expectation is that he’ll likely miss the entire sophomore season.
The Tigers open Nov. 2.
For Brad Brownell’s team, the loss goes beyond one rotation piece. Foster was projected as a likely starter, and Clemson is already dealing with uncertainty at point guard. Dillon Hunter returned for a fifth year after winning a court injunction for extra eligibility, but he is currently ineligible to play after a recent development in the Georgia class-action case tied to the NCAA’s “5 for 5” eligibility rule changes.
Brownell didn’t hide how much this one stings.
“My heart hurts for Zac during this difficult time,” Brownell said in a news release. “He is a special young man with a bright future. ... I care for him deeply and know that he will be resilient in the face of this new challenge.”
Foster was one of Clemson’s most promising young pieces. A top 100 recruit and the third-highest ranked prospect in the program’s modern history, he averaged 6.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game off the bench last season. He brings real pace when healthy, and the Tigers were counting on that burst to matter in a bigger role.
Now the path gets even thinner. Freshman guard Harris Reynolds is in line for an expanded role, and Foster becomes the second starting-level player dealing with a long-term knee injury. Starting center Carter Welling tore his ACL in March and isn’t expected back until January at the earliest.
Foster said he was “devastated” by the setback.
“I’ve worked extremely hard to come back and help this team this season, and to face this again is a very difficult reality,” Foster said. “... I can’t wait to be back healthy and playing in Littlejohn again.”
Clemson opens the season Nov. 2 against Stetson at Littlejohn Coliseum, with tipoff set for 7 p.m. on ACC Network Extra. The Tigers are aiming for a fourth straight NCAA Tournament trip, which would be the first time Brownell has done that at Clemson.
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Clemsons Guard Depth Takes Another Hit With Zac Foster Down Again
Clemsons backcourt depth took another blow in mid-October when sophomore guard Zac Foster learned the knee he had already rehabbed had suffered a second ACL tear. The injury was confirmed by an MRI on Oct. 12, leaving the Tigers without a timetable for his return and forcing the staff to account for another lost piece before the season even settles in.
Brad Brownell has made clear Foster remains part of the programs daily fabric despite the setback, and the guards continued involvement around the team matters for a group that has already had to adjust its plans. For Clemson, the challenge now is not just replacing minutes, but managing a rotation that was supposed to lean on Fosters development and instead has to keep moving without knowing when, or how soon, he can get back. [Read more 🡒]
Clemsons Thinned D-Line Could Finally Get A Needed Boost
A long wait on Clemsons defensive front may be nearing an end. Defensive tackle Kourtney Kelly, who tore his ACL in March, is expected to make his season debut against Charleston Southern, and Dabo Swinney said Kelly has already been taking part in competitive practice work. He is also listed as a backup on the depth chart, a sign that the Tigers are at least preparing to work him back into the mix.
For a defensive line that has had to absorb injuries and departures, Kellys return comes at a useful time. Clemson has leaned on its depth more than planned, and getting another body back inside should help ease some of that pressure as the season moves forward. Whether Kelly is ready to immediately reclaim a major role is still a separate question, but simply having him available again gives the Tigers another needed option up front. [Read more 🡒]
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The schedule ahead includes seven more regular-season games, and the path through them is where the season is likely to be defined. With projections and matchup analysis pointing to a mix of favorable spots and tougher tests, the Tigers are moving into the portion of the year where coaching adjustments, week-to-week consistency and overall team performance will matter most, even as the full shape of the second half remains unsettled. [Read more 🡒]