Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney provided several injury-related personnel updates during his weekly Zoom conference call with the media Sunday evening.
Swinney said “it was big” to get star defensive lineman Peter Woods back for Saturday’s game against Florida State.
The sophomore returned to action in the 29-13 victory over the Seminoles after missing the previous two games after taking a hit to the knee against App State on Sept. 7.
The Tigers limited Woods’ snaps against the Noles, and Swinney said he is “looking forward” to being a full participant in practice.
“I think he played about 20 plays. We limited his reps. … He felt really good after the game,” Swinney said. “I think that was the biggest thing, is just getting back out there playing, just the bump and grind of a football game, and he came out of it feeling good. So, I think that’s a real positive.
“And that’s one thing he talked to me about after the game, was he’s just looking forward to really just getting back in his routine and really being able to have a full week of football practice, because that’s what it takes to be able to play well on Saturdays. He’s still a young player. It’s not like he’s some four-year guy around here. He’s still a young player, and he needs reps, he needs practice, and when he’s kind of been on the shelf for a few weeks, it was good for him. Really good for him, and I think he came out of it with even more confidence going into this week.”
Similar to Woods, Tyler Brown is working his way back into the fold from an injury. The sophomore wideout had a “pretty bad” high ankle sprain and is still in the process of getting back to being full-go.
“He’s, like Peter, progressing back in practice, has yet to be able to have a really full-go week,” Swinney said of Brown. “He’s been on a progression. He’s made a ton of improvement, so hopefully he’ll continue to really heal up. That was a pretty bad high ankle sprain that he had. I think he got 17 plays (vs. FSU), so just being able to get back into the flow of things and keep getting his confidence. But he’s got to get back into where he can really get all the reps in practice, and that’s what he’s in the process of doing.”
Meanwhile, Khalil Barnes wasn’t limited due to injury against FSU, according to Swinney. The sophomore safety got banged up in the Stanford game on Sept. 28.
“He was good to go all along,” Swinney said. “He graded 85 percent, played 66 snaps, did a nice job. I think he had four tackles, and graded a winner.”
As for junior receiver Adam Randall (toe) and redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Collin Sadler (calf), Swinney reiterated Sunday that they were ready to play if needed against FSU, but the Tigers were able to hold them out.
“If we could hold them, that was what we really wanted to do, so that worked out well,” Swinney said.
Swinney also said Sunday that the Tigers hope to get redshirt freshman defensive tackle Stephiylan Green back this week after he was out for the FSU game due to an injury.
“He’s a guy we missed,” Swinney said.
Clemson will be on the road again this week when the Tigers face Wake Forest on Saturday, Oct. 12. The contest will kick off at noon on ESPN.
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