CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson fourth-year defensive tackle Vic Burley was limited during fall camp practices this week, wearing a yellow non-contact jersey as the Tigers continue preparations for their Sept. 5 season opener against LSU in Baton Rouge.
When asked about the severity of Burley’s new injury following practice, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney provided a brief update on the defensive lineman’s status.
“I don’t know,” Swinney said. “I don’t think so.”
Swinney added that he expects the Warner Robins, Georgia native to return to action before the regular season begins.
“I mean, I think he’s day-to-day, but I’ll see,” Swinney said.
Injury History and Career Progress
Burley arrived at Clemson as a consensus top-80 national recruit and five-star prospect. After knee injuries limited his freshman campaign in 2023, the graduate player steadily worked his way into the defensive rotation over the past two seasons, earning his first career start in the Pinstripe Bowl against Penn State last December.
Burley built momentum entering the 2026 campaign during spring practices, recording 2.5 sacks in the Tigers’ spring game in March following the NFL Draft departures of starting defensive tackles DeMonte Capehart and Peter Woods.
Navigating Defensive Line Depth
With Burley temporarily sidelined, Clemson is relying on depth across its interior front. Oklahoma transfer Markus Strong and sophomore former five-star recruit Amare Adams are competing for interior snaps alongside junior-college transfer Andy Burburija.
The position group is already managing roster absences, including Kourtney Kelly, who suffered a torn ACL during spring practice, and Hevin Brown-Shuler, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma this summer.
Swinney Evaluates Group Readiness
Assessing the defensive line’s overall progress three weeks out from kickoff, Swinney noted that the unit still needs development before facing LSU at Tiger Stadium.
“They’re not there yet. We’ve got work to do,” Swinney said.
Swinney expanded on the unit’s timeline as fall camp progresses.
“We play three weeks from Saturday, we’re not ready to play. We’re not game-ready yet. That’s the biggest thing. We’ve had some guys that’ve flashed. They care a lot. . .just got to keep doing the work,” Swinney said.
Clemson continues its fall camp schedule as the coaching staff works to finalize the defensive rotation ahead of the opener.
