Kourtney Kelly is finally closing in on game action for Clemson, and his return could give the Tigers a badly needed jolt on the defensive line.
The West Georgia transfer defensive tackle is expected to play Saturday against Charleston Southern, Dabo Swinney said Tuesday, marking what should be Kelly’s season debut after a spring injury pushed back his timeline. Clemson had projected him as a likely starter before he tore his ACL in a spring practice scrimmage on March 18. He had surgery the next day and spent the ensuing months rehabbing with a target of getting back around midseason.
“So far, so good,” Swinney said at his weekly news conference. “... He’s been getting some competitive work (in practice), so that’s got a chance to be a good shot in the arm for us down the stretch.”
Kelly brings production with him. At FCS West Georgia last season, the 6-3, 290-pound tackle logged 17 tackles, seven tackles for loss, four sacks, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry.
His presence matters because Clemson has had trouble finding steady answers up front after losing its top three defensive line players from last year to the NFL Draft or the transfer portal: Peter Woods, DeMonte Capehart and Stephiylan Green. The Tigers have already rolled out four different defensive tackle combinations in five games, and the depth chart has been thinned even further by injuries.
Junior Hevin Brown-Shuler is out for the season while undergoing treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma, and Oklahoma transfer Markus Strong will miss the regular season after being injured in Week 1 at LSU.
Kelly appeared on Clemson’s depth chart for the first time Monday. He is listed as a backup to co-starters Champ Thompson and Amare Adams at one of the two starting defensive tackle spots. At the other, Darien Mayo and Andy Burburija are the co-starters, with Devarrick Woods and Vic Burley behind them.
The expectation is that Kelly won’t be pushed into a full workload right away. Against Charleston Southern, an in-state FCS opponent Clemson is heavily favored to handle, the Tigers should get a clean chance to see how Kelly looks roughly seven months after the ACL tear.
Saturday’s game at Memorial Stadium is scheduled for noon on ACC Network.
“I know we have high expectations,” Swinney said of Kelly. “He still hasn’t played.
But we know what we saw on this practice field. He’s got a high motor.
He’s a relentless kid. I think that helps.”
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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 🡒]