Clemson could get this veteran DB back on the field before season’s end.

Head coach Dabo Swinney told the media Sunday evening that senior safety Tyler Venables is tracking toward playing sometime this season as it winds down.

Venables had preseason surgery on his hip this past summer.

“He’s good, man. I mean he could play today mentally,” Swinney said. “He’s kind of been like a player-coach for us all year as he’s worked through his ‘get ready’ phase and rehab process. But he’s on track. So, we’re just kind of waiting on the medical people to clear him, and then he’ll be ready to go. So, we’ll see where he is this week and go from there.”

Swinney said back in July that the Tigers were planning to redshirt Venables if they could, but it was possible he could return to the field late in the season, and that’s still the case as Swinney said Sunday evening.

In his Clemson career, Venables has recorded 98 tackles (5.5 for loss), a sack, an interception and seven pass breakups in 716 defensive snaps over 34 games (two starts).

Last season, the 5-foot-11, 205-pounder was credited with 37 tackles (one for loss), a pass breakup and a team-high seven special teams tackles while playing 240 defensive snaps over 10 games.

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