Clemson football’s offensive line took another significant hit in the Tigers’ 24-20 win over Pitt on Saturday, as left tackle Elyjah Thurmon went down with an injury on the first play of the game. Following the victory, head coach Dabo Swinney revealed that Thurmon suffered an ankle injury requiring surgery.
Thurmon will undergo a procedure known as a “tight rope” surgery, which involves inserting a small plate. Swinney confirmed that the freshman lineman is out for the remainder of the season but emphasized that the recovery timeline is relatively short. “He’ll be out for probably two or three months,” Swinney said. “Hopefully, we’ll have him back for spring ball.” The injury adds to Clemson’s offensive line’s growing list of setbacks.
Thurmon becomes the fourth lineman to be lost for the season, joining Collin Sadler, Dietrick Pennington, and Ian Reed. The Tigers were also without starters Tristan Leigh and Marcus Tate against Pitt, leaving an already thin unit scrambling. Thurmon’s departure forced Blake Miller to shift to left tackle and Walker Parks to move outside to right tackle, leaving little depth for the remainder of the game.
“It’s unbelievable,” Swinney said of the situation. “The very first play. I just could not believe it. But nobody flinched. Nobody panicked.”
Despite the adversity up front, the Tigers managed to grind out the victory, thanks in large part to late heroics from quarterback Cade Klubnik and a resilient effort from the defense. With the offensive line in shambles,
Clemson’s staff will be focused on finding solutions as they prepare to host The Citadel next weekend.