Clemson football has altered its roster alignment ahead of the 2026 kickoff, officially listing sixth-year senior Dietrick Pennington as a dual-position DT/OL.
The 6-foot-5, 355-pound veteran—who spent his first five seasons exclusively on the offensive line and switched his jersey from No. 59 to No. 91—underscores an urgent need for interior defensive line bodies as fall camp concludes.
Injuries and Absences Limit Interior Options
The positional shift comes in response to multiple roster setbacks along the interior front.
- Kourtney Kelly: The transfer defensive tackle suffered a season-ending torn ACL during spring practice.
- Hevin Brown-Shuler: The freshman defensive lineman will miss the 2026 campaign following a summer diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Vic Burley: The former four-star prospect has missed significant fall camp reps due to an undisclosed injury.
Evaluating the Defensive Tackle Rotation
With Burley sidelined and two tackles out for the year, Clemson’s top interior rotation features sophomore former five-star recruit Amare Adams, Oklahoma transfer Markus Strong, and junior college transfer Andy Burburija.
Beyond that trio, depth remains thin. Champ Thompson has seen increased practice reps, while Texas State transfer Devarrick Woods provides additional veteran presence.
Pennington brings 27 games of collegiate experience and 340-plus pounds of frame to the defensive front. However, turning to a long-time offensive lineman highlights the narrow margin for error facing the defense as preparations continue for the Sept. 5 season opener at LSU.
