Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney met with the media following his fourth-ranked Tigers’ 17-10 loss to No. 9 LSU in the season opener for both teams at Clemson’s Death Valley on Saturday night.

Starting safety Khalil Barnes was injured during the game. The junior went down on the field late in the second quarter after extending and almost nabbing an interception. He dropped down and called for trainers shortly after the play before walking off the field under his own power.

Prior to Saturday, Barnes missed a substantial amount of time during fall camp dealing with what Swinney described as a “minor injury.”

After Saturday’s game, The Clemson Insider asked Swinney for an update on Barnes. Swinney said he wasn’t sure of Barnes’ status right now.

“He couldn’t come back either,” Swinney said. “So, that was another tough loss for us.”

Barnes has been a staple on the back end of the Tigers’ defense the past two seasons. He burst onto the scene during his debut season in 2023, earning a starting role and freshman All-American honors after registering 41 tackles, five tackles for loss, six pass breakups, a team-high three interceptions, three forced fumbles and one sack. He also added a fumble recovery that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. He was the first Clemson player in the Swinney era to record multiple forced fumbles and multiple interceptions in a freshman season.

Last season, Barnes finished with 60 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss and a team-high four interceptions. It was the first time since 2019 that a Tiger registered four picks in a single season.