Clemson is heading into Saturday’s opener at No. 11 LSU with one less body in the middle of its defense, and Dabo Swinney isn’t offering any hint that change is coming soon.
On Tuesday, Swinney said senior defensive tackle Vic Burley’s indefinite suspension remains in place, and he said he has no timetable for Burley’s return. The coach stopped short of flatly ruling Burley out for the game, but with the suspension still active four days before kickoff, the outlook is not encouraging for Clemson’s top defensive tackle group.
Burley also was absent when Swinney talked about the Tigers’ top five defensive tackles heading into 2026. The five names Swinney gave were Oklahoma transfer Markus Strong, JUCO transfer Andy Burburija, sophomore Amare Adams, junior Champ Thompson and Texas State transfer Devarrick Woods.
Burley, a 6-4, 315-pound senior in his fourth season at Clemson, has played in 21 games and made one start. He came into the year expected to be on the two-deep and provide meaningful snaps as part of the rotation at defensive tackle.
Swinney suspended Burley indefinitely on Aug. 22, the same day Burley was arrested for misdemeanor public disorderly conduct by university police. In the statement announcing the suspension, Swinney said, “We are extremely disappointed by his actions and decisions,”
According to the report, Clemson University Police Department officers found Burley asleep in his truck on campus around 2:15 a.m. on Aug. 22 with the engine running and said he showed signs of impairment. The truck had reportedly been parked there for nearly four hours. Officers later searched the vehicle and allegedly found a THC vape and a Glock 19 handgun.
Burley appeared in Clemson University Municipal Court three days later and received a conditional discharge. Under that agreement, he can have the charge dismissed if he meets several requirements during a six-month probationary period. Those terms include staying out of criminal trouble for six months, completing drug and alcohol education programs, and doing 24 hours of community service.
If he fulfills those requirements, the public disorderly conduct charge will be dismissed in full in February 2027.
In an Aug. 25 statement, Burley said he took “full responsibility” for his actions.
“You all have invested so much in me, and I understand I have some work to do to earn back your trust - but I promise you, I will,” Burley wrote.
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