The Clemson linebacker room lost a cog in the machine when the Tigers dismissed TJ Dudley earlier in the summer. The news was sudden and a result of team standards that he wasn’t able to fulfill and he was dismissed.

With his loss, Clemson moves down to six linebackers and head coach Dabo Swinney discussed how they plan to work around the sudden loss of depth in the unit.

“It’s definitely disappointing to lose a player for sure. But hey, we like the six we got, and the good news is you didn’t really have a lot of 4-3 anymore,” Swinney said.

Good news for the Tigers is Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Barrett Carter are leading that group amid the concerns. Having a pair of first-round prospects for 2024 and proven contributors is a sigh of relief, but the deficit is still there.

When asked by The State’s Chapel Fowler, Swinney jokingly asked if he has any eligibility left. Swinney says Clemson’s number is normally eight at the position, but they’re stuck with six for this season. This doesn’t sway the Tigers’ head coach.

Beyond the star pair, the Tigers have a proven talent in Wade Woodaz and a frosh addition in Jamal Anderson. While it’s unfair to compare to the top two, Clemson’s defense shouldn’t be hindered according to Swinney with two backups at either spot. He noted that disappearance of the 4-3 and how opposing offenses running 11-personnel creates that lack of concern. While there’s some kinks to work around, Swinney is confident in the unit barring any injuries.

“You’re still three deep at either spot there,” Swinney said. “So we just gotta hopefully have a little luck along the way.”