Clemson doesn’t have to guess much about its frontcourt situation anymore. With Carter Welling expected to miss all of non-conference play, Dylan Faulkner has already stepped into the spotlight and made the early injury news feel a lot less heavy.
Brad Brownell told CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein earlier in the week that “Clemson is preparing for the 2026-27 season with the thought that Carter Welling (knee) will be out for all of non-conference play.” Brownell later confirmed that outlook on Tuesday morning. Welling tore his ACL in March, and the plan has always pointed toward a return in 2027.
That leaves Clemson leaning on Faulkner, and so far the Samford transfer has answered the call. He put up 21 points against Georgia and followed that with 20 more against Presbyterian.
For a team that could use another reliable scorer inside, that’s a promising start. At the very least, Faulkner has shown the jump to Power Four basketball isn’t going to overwhelm him.
The timing matters because Clemson still has other questions to sort through before ACC play begins. Brownell is also trying to determine whether Dillon Hunter can give the Tigers one more season at point guard. With Zac Foster sidelined for the year after a re-torn ACL, Clemson needs help in the backcourt, where Ace Buckner, Cole Certa, and Harris Reynolds are still unproven.
The schedule should give the Tigers some breathing room early. Stetson, American, and North Dakota all come at home, and Clemson also gets Georgetown on Friday the 13th and The Citadel before the real test begins.
The Tigers will then head into the Maui Invitational, starting with Ole Miss on Nov. 23.
There are still more non-conference games to come before ACC play opens against Virginia on Dec. 29, including Auburn, a trip to TCU, a road game at South Carolina, and another at Cincinnati. In all, Welling is likely to miss around 14 games, which gives Clemson time to let the rest of the frontcourt settle in around Faulkner.
That’s the bigger picture for Brownell right now: replacing a lot of what made last season work. Holdovers like Buckner and Welling have to fit with newcomers like Faulkner, Certa, and Reynolds if Clemson wants to keep its NCAA Tournament streak going, even in the expanded field.
For now, though, the Tigers can at least feel better about one thing. Faulkner looks ready to carry a real load up front.
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Clemson Faces A Big Response Test At Florida State
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For Clemson, the setting adds to the pressure. A road trip to Tallahassee on Halloween night is the kind of stage that can either help reset the mood around a team or deepen the questions, and the Tigers will get their shot in a prime-time window at 7 p.m. The broadcast spotlight will be there, and so will the expectation that Clemson responds with something more convincing than just another ordinary conference game. [Read more 🡒]