Swinney Updates Status of 2 Key Linemen
By: Gavin Oliver September 29, 2026

During his Tuesday press conference, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney updated the status of two key linemen.

Elyjah Thurmon, Clemson’s starting left guard, had to be assisted off the field early in last Friday’s game at Cal and did not return. After the game, Swinney said he believed Thurmon’s injury would likely a “short-term” one.

On Tuesday, Swinney gave the latest on Thurmon’s status heading into Saturday’s game vs. No. 4 Miami.

“He’s day-to-day,” Swinney said. “He’ll be day-to-day.”

The same goes for Devarrick Woods, a co-starter at defensive tackle, who was out for the Cal game.

“Day-to-day,” Swinney said of Woods.

Saturday’s game against the Hurricanes at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. and will be televised on ABC.

Thurmon, a junior, played all 49 snaps in the season opener at LSU before playing 55 snaps in Week 2 vs. Georgia Southern and then 73 snaps in the come-from-behind victory vs. North Carolina in Week 3. He played 17 snaps at Cal before being injured.

The 6-foot-4, 325-pounder was limited by injury to 129 offensive snaps over three games (one start) in 2025, qualifying him for a redshirt.

A Mississippi native who finished his prep career in Georgia before signing with the Tigers in 2024, Thurmon played 146 snaps from scrimmage over eight games (one start) in his debut 2024 campaign. The former four-star prospect entered the 2026 season having played 275 career snaps from scrimmage over 11 games (two starts).

Woods joined the Tigers this past summer after being granted a fifth year of eligibility by the NCAA.

Prior to missing the Cal game due to injury, Woods made his first start with the Tigers in the North Carolina game, recording one tackle. He made his Clemson debut in the opener at LSU and then posted three tackles (0.5 for loss) vs. Georgia Southern a week later.

The 6-foot-3, 285-pounder spent two seasons at Hinds (Miss.) Community College from 2023-24 before making the jump to the FBS in 2025, compiling 16 tackles (two for loss) and a sack over 11 games at Texas State.