By Will Vandervort.

Clemson right tackle Joe Gore was taken to the hospital Wednesday afternoon when Clemson’s medical staff determined he was suffering from appendicitis.

“They had to take him to the hospital and actually had to do surgery at five o’clock, but everything went well,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said after practice.

Swinney says Gore’s health explains a lot with what has been going on with the 6-foot-5, 290-pound junior.

“To be honest with you, and I know this sounds crazy, I’m glad to know that there was something wrong because he just has not quite been the same,” the head coach said. “I just knew something was not quite right with him and he knew something was not right.

“I’m thankful that it all came to a head and hopefully we can get him back on track because we need Joe Gore. He had a great camp for us. He was probably the best and most pleasant surprise of camp, but he kind of just took a couple of steps back after the first couple of games. He has gotten a little better, but he still wasn’t quite where he needed to be.”

Gore will miss at least Saturday’s game against NC State and the Louisville game on Oct. 11. He started three of the four games so far this year and has averaged 47 plays per outing.

The right tackle was not slated to start against NC State, but he was supposed to see significant playing time as a backup.

“He said he had not been feeling quite right and it came to a head today,” Swinney said.

If the surgery was a laparoscopy procedure then Gore could be back sooner rather than later. But if he was cut, and Swinney says he had not talked with the doctor prior to the end of practice, then he might need a longer recovery time.

As for what that means for the right tackle position, Kalon Davis will start again at that spot, while Eric Mac Lain and Reid Webster will serve as backups. All three guys have crossed trained at both guard and the tackle positions, while Webster can also serve as a backup at center if need be.

“We are thin right now, for sure,” Swinney said. “We have lost three guys to medical, then we lose Shaq Anthony and now we have Gore out, we don’t have a lot of bodies.

“The ones we have are good, we just don’t have a ton of depth, but we still have more than most.”

Peake is day-to-day. Clemson wide receiver Charone Peake was limited in practice on Wednesday and they will try to do a little more tomorrow with him before making a decision on whether or not he will play against NC State.

Swinney said the junior is fine and that he needed to rest his knee which started to inflame when the season start. He played through it for a while, but the coaching staff felt it was best he did not play in the North Carolina game if he did not have to.

Swinney said it will be Peake’s decision ultimately if he wants to play this Saturday.

Cooper to play. Tight end Sam Cooper, who broke his femur bone in his foot during warm ups at Georgia prior to the season opener, will play this Saturday. Cooper has missed the first four games and he has been missed when it comes to blocking and setting the edge in the running game.

Cooper will more than likely start for the Tigers on Saturday.