With starting running back Gideon Davidson sidelined due to injury, other members of Clemson’s running back room will have to step up for the Tigers on Saturday when they play on the road at Syracuse (12 p.m., ESPN2).

“Gid being down, so that strains us. But hey, it’s opportunity, opportunity for guys to play,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said during his weekly press conference Tuesday.

Swinney announced on his radio show Monday night that Davidson will miss time due to a low-grade sprained ankle suffered in last Saturday’s 36-24 win at Florida State.

The good news is Davidson’s ankle injury won’t require surgery, according to Swinney, but he said Tuesday that Davidson will “be out this week for sure, and then we’ll go from there.”

“Gid’s kind of like Superman. Hopefully he’s a quick healer,” Swinney said. “He was busting his butt in that training room all day yesterday and last night.”

So, with Davidson out at least one game, who are the next men up for Clemson at the running back position?

Swinney said the running back group for the Syracuse game will start with seniors Jarvis Green and Chris Johnson Jr., and the Tigers will also need fellow senior Jay Haynes “to be a factor.”

“Well, it’s just more opportunity for Jarvis. More opportunity for CJ,” Swinney said. “And then Jay didn’t get a chance to play the other night, so Jay Haynes. Really, really thankful. I told y’all at the beginning of the year – we’re gonna need all these guys before it’s over with, and here we are.”

Green is listed as the starter on Clemson’s depth chart for the Syracuse game, with Johnson and Haynes listed as co-backups.

Johnson has appeared in all eight games for Clemson this season, rushing for 136 yards and two touchdowns on 35 carries, while Green has appeared in seven of the eight games, rushing for 125 yards on 32 carries.

Last year, Green medically redshirted after missing the season after sustaining a foot injury in fall camp. The Irmo, S.C., native came into the 2026 season having only recorded 12 carries for 57 yards, and two receptions for 35 yards with a touchdown, in 37 career offensive snaps over 11 games.

Swinney noted that being available has been a challenge for Green in his career, but when available, he has been productive.

“Jarvis, he’s kind of always beat up. I mean, he really is,” Swinney said. “He’s a really good player, but he just hasn’t been available very much in his career. He was out last year. But when he’s available, he’s productive, and he’s just one of those guys – he’s one of those guys we’ve got to kind of manage through the week, and then you just kind of get him to gameday, and he just knows how to play. He’s a productive guy.”

Haynes has only appeared in two games thus far this season. After missing the entire 2025 season rehabbing from knee injuries suffered in the 2024 ACC Championship Game, Haynes saw his first game action in 679 days when he returned from injury to rush nine times for 25 yards in Clemson’s 37-0 win over Charleston Southern on Oct. 17 of this season.

“Jay Haynes will have to be a factor for us,” Swinney said. “And really thankful we got him back and he got to play a little bit a couple games ago. So, he’ll be ready to go.”

Behind Green, Johnson and Haynes, junior walk-on running back Max “Mad Max” Wilson will be the fourth-string running back for the Syracuse game.

Wilson shined in his 2026 season debut vs. Charleston Southern, as he came in during the fourth quarter and rushed for 52 yards on seven carries, averaging 7.4 yards per attempt.

“Mad Max, we’ll have him lathered up and ready to go if needed,” Swinney said.