Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney says his team is in a much better spot from an injury and availability standpoint heading into spring practice this year than the Tigers were last spring.
Swinney met with the media on Wednesday afternoon ahead of the first 2026 spring practice and said the Tigers have “very few guys” out this spring.
Though Clemson has a number of players who are limited, Swinney said senior tight end Olsen Patt-Henry and redshirt senior offensive lineman Collin Sadler are the only two players who will be fully out for spring ball.
“We have very few guys out this spring, which is very different from where we were last spring,” Swinney said. “Had a laundry list of guys last spring that were out. We’ve only got truly two guys that are out all spring, and that’s Olsen and Sadler. Those two guys are out all spring. Everybody else is back in practice, working back in practice, doing some type of practice.”
As for other players who are limited as spring practice gets underway:
- Junior linebacker Sammy Brown
“Sammy Brown had to have a little surgery on his wrist. He’s doing great,” Swinney said. “He’ll be limited, but he’ll be rocking and rolling more and more each day.”
- Redshirt sophomore cornerback Corian Gipson
“He had to have a little hand surgery, but he’s doing good,” Swinney said.
- Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Elyjah Thurmon
“Had shoulder surgery. He’s doing great,” Swinney said. “He’ll be in green, he’ll be practicing today, and he’ll be ramping up more and more as we go through spring.”
- Sophomore defensive tackle Amare Adams
“He’ll be in individual the first part of these few practices, and then he’ll ramp up as he kind of shows his progression warrants that,” Swinney said. “So, he’s doing really good.”
- Sophomore offensive lineman Brayden Jacobs
“Brayden Jacobs is doing great,” Swinney said. “He’s working his way – he’ll be ramped up each day, a little bit more each day, but he’ll be out there getting some work done today.”
- Freshman defensive tackle Makhi Williams Lee
“Makhi will probably get a little individual, and that’s probably all he’ll get all spring,” Swinney said.
Swinney also gave injury updates on wide receivers Bryant Wesco and T.J. Moore/Cole Turner, which you can see at the following links: