Zac Foster’s comeback plan has hit another brutal setback.
The Clemson sophomore guard has re-torn the ACL in the same knee that cost him most of last season, the school confirmed after an MRI on Oct. 12.
Foster had originally gone down against South Carolina on Dec. 16, 2025, and missed the rest of that season. Now, the timeline for his return to Clemson men’s basketball has been pushed back again, with no current timetable in place.
Foster had been hopeful to get back on the floor for the 2026-2027 season, but that goal is now off the table for the moment. He said in a statement released Oct.
13, “I am devastated with this news. 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 wrote in a statement released Oct.
- “I appreciate the support of the Clemson Family, my teammates and my coaches over these past several months and I can’t wait to be back healthy and playing in Littlejohn again.”
There were signs just days earlier that Foster was moving in the right direction. At ACC Tipoff on Oct.
7, Clemson coach Brad Brownell said Foster had recently returned to practice and was wearing a brace on his knee. It still wasn’t certain whether he would be ready in time for the season opener against Stetson on Nov.
“(Foster) looks like a guy that's had an injury. He's playing with a big brace for the first time and still a little timid, as you would imagine,” Brownell said. “I'm optimistic that he's going to be fine.”
Brownell later issued a statement expressing support for the guard and outlining the program’s commitment to him during the recovery process.
“My heart hurts for Zac during this difficult time. He is a special young man with a bright future.
He has worked tirelessly these last nine-plus months to get back onto the floor,” Brownell wrote in a statement. “We’re committed to keeping Zac engaged throughout this process and he will continue to play a meaningful role in our team’s efforts.
I care for him deeply and know that he will be resilient in the face of this new challenge.”
In Other News...
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 🡒]
Clemsons Backcourt Just Took A Brutal Hit Again
Clemsons backcourt has been hit with another tough blow, as sophomore guard Zac Foster tore his ACL again and is likely done for the season. It is a painful repeat for Foster, who was already sidelined by the same injury during his freshman year, leaving the Tigers to adjust once more around a guard rotation that had hoped to gain stability with his return.
Brad Brownell and Foster both addressed the setback in statements, reflecting the disappointment that comes with another lengthy recovery for a player still trying to get his college career moving in the right direction. For Clemson, the concern now is less about one lost piece than about how to keep the backcourt intact after losing a player who was expected to help deepen it. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson's Second Half Comes Down To One Critical Stretch
Clemson heads into Week 7 at 3-2 overall and 2-1 in ACC play, a record that keeps the Tigers very much in the league race but also leaves little margin for error. After a first five games that offered both encouragement and reminders of the work still ahead, the rest of the regular season now feels like it will be judged less by style points and more by how well Clemson handles the next stretch of opponents.
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 🡒]