Dabo Swinney updates team injuries

Tony Crumpton - Assoc. Editor - Friday, February 28 2025

The Tigers are back at practice!

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney held his first press conference for the start of Day 1 of spring camp on Friday.

Swinney shared several injuries on his team, with many having offseason surgeries.

"Logan Anderson, who's a kid that he's really doing well, but he won't get any live work this spring," Swinney said. Man, we're super excited about him, but he had an ACL back in the season. So he'll be out. Green, same thing. He had a sports hernia surgery, so he's doing great and working his way back. He'll be out as well.

"Jay Lucas, we cleaned his shoulder up," Swinney said. "Walker Parks. Same thing. We had to do a cleanup on his shoulder. Olson Pat Henry, we had to do some work on him as well. He's doing great as well. His was a shoulder. Zaire Patterson broke his foot. He's working through that and coming back. He'll be out as well. Ian Reid, you all pretty well documented on what he's been... He's actually really trending in He's in good direction, so I'm excited about that. But it's just been a process for him since he got hurt back in the fall.

"Clay Swinney broke his foot," Swinney said about his son. "He just got out of a boot. He won't be able to run around. He'll be able to hold, but he won't be able to run around. He literally just got out of a boot yesterday, but he had a broken bone in his foot. Champ Thompson he's working his way back. He had some cleanup surgery he had to have done.

"You all know about Elijah Thurman with the tight rope. He probably, at some point, will get back into practice, probably in the green. He won't get any live work, but he will probably be back into practice at some point.

"Then Ari Watford, another really highly recruited defensive end, guy we're super excited about that also tore his ACL last year, that'll be back and ready to go. But he's here."

Clemson injury recap

The Clemson players that are currently injured that will be either wearing green or yellow jerseys at practice include linebacker Logan Anderson (ACL), defensive lineman Stephiylan Green (sports hernia surgery), running back Jay Haynes (knee), cornerback Jeadyn Lukus (shoulder), offensive lineman (shoulder), tight end Olsen Patt-Henry (shoulder), Zaire Patterson (broken foot), defensive end Ari Watford (ACL), Clay Swinney (broken foot), offensive lineman Elyjah Thurman (ankle).

Clemson players switching positions

Swinney said that tight end Markus Dixon will transition to defensive end, receiver Misun Kelly will get most of his work in camp as a cornerback, and veteran receiver Adam Randall will continue his work as a running back.