Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney provided more injury updates during his radio show Monday night.
Swinney told the media Monday evening that two Tigers – redshirt sophomore linebacker Kobe McCloud and redshirt sophomore safety Caleb Nix – will be out for the rest of the season due to knee injuries.
Swinney spoke more about those season-ending injuries during his radio show, saying that McCloud will have his knee surgery Tuesday morning, and it “probably will be next week or so” before Nix has his surgery.
“Kobe has really become a good player for us and a guy we trust. He was our third backer, and that’s a big loss for us,” Swinney said.
Added Swinney, regarding Nix: “Caleb has been a starter for us on special teams, and he’s a very valuable depth guy at safety and nickel. Just a sophomore, and a kid we trust.”
Swinney said Nix tore his ACL on the first play that he was in Saturday’s game vs. App State on punt return, and then he played the entire game with the torn ACL.
“He played the whole game with a torn ACL, on all the special teams – I’m talking covering kicks, the whole deal,” Swinney said. “He said he just felt like something wasn’t right, but he just kept playing and didn’t really say anything to anybody. He thought he just hyperextended his knee.”
“But just hate that for these guys, man,” Swinney said of Nix and McCloud. “Just breaks your heart, because they work all year for the opportunity. Again, we all know when you play the game, that can happen, but never makes it easier. So, just hurt for those guys, and it’s a big loss for us because both of them are really important players for us.”
As for other injuries coming out of the App State game, Swinney said “a couple other guys got banged up, but I think we’ll be OK.”
The Tigers also dodged a bullet with star defensive lineman Peter Woods and his injury. The sophomore was injured in the first half vs. App State when he got chop blocked below the knees in the second quarter.
“It could’ve been a lot worse, so we’re thankful that it wasn’t,” Swinney said of Woods, who is day to day.
Following an open date this Saturday, Clemson will return to Death Valley for its ACC opener against NC State on Saturday, Sept. 21.
Local News
Comments / 0