Clemson lineman Mason Trotter retiring from football |
Clemson offensive lineman
Mason Trotter will not take another snap for the Tigers, head coach
Dabo Swinney said on Wednesday after practice.
Trotter had been sidelined for undisclosed reasons to start the year and was expected to return later in the season, Swinney said. Swinney said that a back injury surfaced for Trotter in September and he had to have surgery on it. Doctors from there declared that Trotter could not play again. "It's best for his future not to play, and I don't disagree with that," Swinney said. "Very disappointing, because he was a guy we were anticipating getting back." "It was crazy. Honestly, he got out of bed and couldn't walk. He's never had a back problem. It's the weirdest thing ever. He literally got up one morning, came in and had a back issue. He had never had that. They tried everything and had to end up doing surgery on him and he came to me about a couple weeks ago and let me know where he was medically and what the doctors were saying." Trotter played 643 career snaps over 20 games with the Tigers (seven starts) and entered the year as a redshirt junior. Swinney said that Trotter will follow in the footsteps of a Hunter Rayburn, who was also medically retired from football this year, to be a student coach next year. "I hate it that he won't be able to play anymore but I'm thankful that he will be another hand on deck next year," Swinney said. Trotter had played center last and the Tigers are set to return starting center Will Putnam next season, Putnam indicated this week and Swinney said as well on Wednesday.
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