Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney gave the latest injury update on a key transfer defensive tackle this week.

Markus Strong suffered a lower leg injury in the season opener against LSU on Sept. 5 and subsequently underwent surgery. Swinney initially expected Strong to be out for the season.

However, Swinney said during his radio show this week “there is a chance” that Strong could make it back in time for the regular season finale vs. rival South Carolina (Nov. 28), or if not that game, then the postseason.

“Markus Strong, he’s been out all year, since the first half of the LSU game, so he really hasn’t had a chance to do nothing,” Swinney said. “He was a big get for us, but he’s been out. Although there is a chance he could get back maybe South Carolina or postseason.”

Strong, a senior, spent his first three college seasons at Oklahoma from 2023-25, helping the Sooners to the College Football Playoff in his final season with the program, before transferring to Clemson in January.

The 6-foot-3, 295-pounder was credited with 10 tackles (four for loss) and three sacks in 14 games at Oklahoma. He played 11 games in 2025, logging seven tackles (two for loss) and a sack, after appearing in two games in 2024, with both of his two tackles on the year being sacks. He appeared in one game while redshirting in 2023.