Clemson’s safety room took a hit over the weekend, and it came with a name the Tigers were counting on to matter fast.
True freshman Polo Anderson, one of the top pieces in Clemson’s 2026 class, tore his ACL during a punting drill on Friday, head coach Dabo Swinney said. Anderson had been in line to help the secondary right away, and Swinney didn’t hide how much that loss stings.
“From where he was in January, you know, coming in, I mean, he was really going to help us this year, for sure,” Swinney said on Saturday. “He was positioned to be a big-time contributor for us, so I hate that for him.”
Even with Anderson out, the top of the depth chart has taken shape. Southern Miss transfer Corey Myrick and Old Dominion transfer Jerome Carter III have been the expected starters since arriving on campus in January, and both brought the kind of experience Clemson wanted while adding what Swinney described as a mature professionalism to the room.
The coach said the group has made real progress since last season.
“They’ve got a lot of confidence, and there’s a lot of just good chemistry, I would say, with the backend guys,” he said. “I didn’t see hardly any busts today.”
Ronan Hanafin sits next in line, and his value keeps growing. The senior moved to safety after his freshman season, giving Clemson a player who offers both experience and upside.
He started five of Clemson’s 13 games last season and remains the most seasoned safety returning to Tom Allen’s system. During the Tigers’ scrimmage inside Memorial Stadium this weekend, he stood out enough to draw praise from the staff.
“Ronan Hanafin, man, he had a heck of a day today. Ronan has shown up every single day,” Swinney said. “I mean, he’s just one of them guys.”
Kylon Griffin is the other player in the group with starting experience. The fifth-year safety played in eight games last season and started four times in 2024, the year Clemson reached the College Football Playoff.
With Anderson sidelined, Clemson could lean more on reserve options such as graduate senior Kylen Webb, juniors Noah Dixon and Joe Wilkinson, and redshirt freshman Jakarrion Kenan. The Tigers have usually had at least one safety break through each season, and Hanafin fit that mold in 2025. Someone else in this group could be next.
That’s the bet Clemson is making after a stretch that had too many busted coverages and missed assignments. Swinney believes the offseason additions, along with new position coach Nolan Turner, have the room in a much better place heading toward 2026.
“There were a couple of competitive plays that we didn’t win, but I can live with that. That’s football,” he said. “You’re going to have some of those, especially when it’s Wesco coming down with one or some guy makes some great catch.”
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Swinneys confidence is rooted less in the matchup itself than in what Clemson has already put itself through to get ready for it. The setting will be difficult and the atmosphere should be intense, but he believes the Tigers are built to handle it and compete, which is exactly the kind of conviction a team wants going into one of its toughest early tests. [Read more 🡒]