Practice intensity stepped up another notch on Monday as Clemson wrapped up its fourth practice of fall camp behind the Allen N. Reeves Football Complex. Marking a key transition point in preseason prep, the Tigers brought added physicality to the field while outfitted in shoulder pads and shorts during the early portion of practice open to the media.
Monday’s session marked the start of the second week of work since camp kicked off last Thursday, Aug. 6. With a high-stakes season opener looming against LSU on Sept. 5 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge (7:30 p.m., ABC), head coach Dabo Swinney and his staff elevated the contact and tempo, utilizing the shoulder-pads-and-shorts setup to evaluate physical leverage, blitz pickups, and early positional hierarchy.
While the added gear brought more pop to individual and line-of-scrimmage drills, depth chart clarity and player availability remained the central storylines during the viewing window. Here are the top observations and personnel notes from Day 4:
PRACTICE OBSERVATIONS & TAKEAWAYS
There was not a lot of information to come out, as the first two periods were occupied with the team going over special teams, focusing on kickoff return.
- Gideon Davidson Takes the Lead: Sophomore running back Gideon Davidson (#8) took center stage during individual and unit work. Dabo Swinney confirmed at the start of camp that Davidson enters 2026 as the lead guy in the Tigers’ RB room, and his posture and acceleration in shells mirrored that top-tier status on Monday.
Health & Availability
- Vic Burley in Yellow (Non-Contact): Senior defensive tackle Vic Burley was spotted working in a yellow non-contact jersey, signaling an injury.
- Player Profile & Impact: The 6-foot-4, 315-pound lineman entered Clemson in 2023 as a consensus top-80 recruit and the Georgia AAAAA Defensive Player of the Year.
- Production Check: Over 21 career games (one start), Burley has logged 24 tackles (0.5 TFL) and a pass breakup across 267 defensive snaps. Last season, he recorded 15 tackles (0.5 TFL) and a pass breakup in 175 snaps while playing in all 13 games (one start). His availability will be key for interior DL depth as camp progresses.
NFL Presence
- Bills, Patriots, Giants, Commanders, Vikings and Bears were all seen at the practice facility this afternoon
