Clemson could field an entire offense – and a solid one, at that – with players who are either currently sidelined by injuries or who entered the transfer portal.
It’s been that type of season for the Tigers with all the attrition they’ve endured.
“We’re lean. We’re lean,” Swinney said during his post-practice media availability Wednesday evening. “We could have a pretty good offensive football team. We probably could beat a lot of people with the guys that are out.”
Swinney rattled off a list of injured players/transfers that the Tigers could put together an offense with.
“The offensive line, I was looking at it today … You’ve got (Matt) Bockhorst and John Williams and Dietrick (Pennington) and (Paul) Tchio and Tayquon (Johnson),” Swinney said. “You’ve got five linemen, (Braden) Galloway at tight end, you’ve got Lyn-J (Dixon) and (Michel) Dukes at running back. You’ve got J-Ross (Justyn Ross) and (Frank) Ladson and (Joseph) Ngata and Will Taylor and (Brannon) Spector. So, we’ll put Will Taylor at quarterback, and we’ll have a whole offense. That’d be a pretty good offense right there.”
As for the aforementioned offensive linemen, Bockhorst suffered a season-ending ACL injury at Pittsburgh, while Williams (undisclosed injury) and Johnson (torn pectoral muscle) have not played this season. Pennington (ACL) has played only four snaps.
Tchio, Dixon and Dukes all entered the transfer portal. Galloway has been out since sustaining a shoulder injury at Pitt.
Ross will have surgery Thursday to repair the stress fracture in his foot, making last week’s game against Connecticut potentially his last in a Clemson uniform. Ladson is out for the season with a groin injury, while Ngata is dealing with a foot injury, and Spector hasn’t played yet this season after contracting COVID earlier this year. Taylor suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the Boston College game.
Clemson Variety & Frame is doing their part to help bring you some classic new barware and help one of the local businesses that helps make Clemson special.
Order your Nick’s barware and do your part to help. #SaveNicks
