Dabo Swinney reveals Clemson football injuries, opt-outs for bowl game
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Like many teams, Clemson football is dealing with some injuries and will have players opting out of its postseason matchup against Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium.
Coach Dabo Swinney announced at his Monday press conference that Clemson has 26 players on scholarship that would be unavailable for its game against Penn State, set for Dec. 27 (noon ET, ABC).
"Seventeen of those guys are due to injuries, surgery," Swinney said. "A bunch of them have been out for a while, but we had a couple others that got hurt during the South Carolina game and are out as a result. But 26 scholarship players, that puts a strain on everybody. Again, 17 due to injuries, five of them transfers."
The five players who will enter the transfer portal are safety Khalil Barnes, running back Keith Adams Jr., and linebackers Jamal Anderson and Dee Crayton. Cornerback Shelton Lewis announced his intention to transfer earlier in the season.
"We wish them well and appreciate their contributions here as they move forward," Swinney said.
Who are Clemson football opt-outs for Pinstripe Bowl vs Penn State?
Swinney announced that four players had opted out of the Tigers' bowl game matchup due to NFL Draft preparation: cornerback Avieon Terrell, and defensive linemen T.J. Parker, Peter Woods and DeMonte Capehart.
The 17 players out due to injury are:
- OL Brayden Jacobs
- OL Elyjah Thurmon
- OL Walker Parks
- OL Collin Sadler
- RB Jarvin Green
- RB Jay Haynes
- RB Peyton Streko
- WR Bryant Wesco Jr.
- WR Antonio Williams
- TE Olsen Patt-Henry
- DL Amare Adams
- DL Jahiem Lawson
- DL Armon Mason
- DL Makhi Williams Lee
- LB Wade Woodaz
- LB Logan Anderson
Swinney said Monday:
"(It's) a lot of guys from an injury standpoint, and again most of them due to that. I think on offense, we're down 12 scholarship guys, and 14 scholarship guys on defense. Seven starters on offense: Jacobs and Elyjah and Parks. Sadler is having to have surgery on his shoulder. He barely made it through the South Carolina game. Olsen Patt-Henry, Wesco, and Antonio. Those guys are all out due to injury."
"And then other guys, Easton Ware, Jarvis Green, Jay Haynes, Streko and Keith Adams. You all know about those guys. All those guys are injuries, except for Keith. And then defensively, 14 scholarship guys (and) seven starters. Jahiem, Wade Woodaz had to have surgery Wednesday morning from his injury in the South Carolina game. Really unfortunate there. And then T.J., Peter, (Terrell and Capehart) all are not playing.
"Khalil is transferring and again, Dee (Crayton), Jamal, Shelton, Armon, Logan Anderson, Amare Adams and Makhi. Most of those guys have been out, so a lot of guys unavailable. That's a big, long list. But guess what? Nobody cares. It's next man up, and excited to see these guys step up and go play. I'm fired up."
Dabo Swinney pays tribute to Clemson legend George Bennett
Swinney began his Monday press conference by paying tribute to George Bennett, the 92-year-old Executive Director of IPTAY, who passed away Saturday.
"I want to open it up just remembering George Bennett. Man, 23 years here at Clemson. You talk about a guy, he's one of the all-time great Clemson people. You talk about truly leaving your mark on a place and leaving a legacy and leaving a place better. George Bennett epitomizes all those things. I'm just thankful that I got a chance to know him and be around him in many, many different venues and environments.
"From the $2 bill to the cannon to all the things that he meant to IPTAY and just again, this entire university. I'm just thankful that I had a chance to know him. I'm thankful for his impact and just prayers with his family. I know this has been a day that they've known was coming. I'm thankful that he's at home with the good lord. A special man and just want to remember him."
Dabo Swinney pays tribute to South Carolina football legend Steve Taneyhill
Swinney also spoke on the late South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Steve Taneyhill, who passed away Monday at age 52. Clemson's coach recalled meeting Taneyhill on a recruiting visit to Alabama when Swinney was a wide receiver on coach Gene Stallings' Crimson Tide teams.
"We're all out there practicing in the indoor (facility) there in Tuscaloosa and it was December… and here comes this guy, walks in, and we're playing for Gene Stallings. We all know Gene Stallings as players, and he shows up, got the recruiting guy with him. He had that long hair. He had that long hair and all that swag. And we all were in there going, 'Oh, yeah. We ain't getting him.' We knew right then, 'Yeah, we ain't getting him.' And sure enough, we didn't, and he goes to South Carolina."
Swinney added:
"This was '91 because my last game in Tuscaloosa as a senior was against South Carolina. That was my last game, and I think that was the week they had boycotted the week before or something and then they came to Tuscaloosa. That was my last game ever in Tuscaloosa. Had a couple of catches in that game, but I just remember that and Steve was on the team then. You have no idea where life is going to take you.
"Fast forward, I end up at Clemson, and he ends up becoming a high school coach… He was a state championship coach. He was Gaines Adams' coach when he got into coaching. He was coaching eight-man football, and he coached Gaines Adams. He's one of the main reasons that we got Gaines Adams because he reached out and helped get him here. My point is, as an assistant, I started going out on the road recruiting for Clemson, and he was a high school coach.
"So, I got to know him, and I really liked Steve. He was a really good guy. Huge personality. Very, very good football coach. Just… took my breath away a little bit. I prayed for his wife this morning. Prayers with all the Taneyhill family, all the South Carolina people who loved him as a player, because he's one of the greats in this rivalry, for sure, and definitely left an impact with a lot of people in who he was. So, thankful that I got a chance to know him as well."
Watch Dabo Swinney's full Monday press conference below.
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson football injuries and opt-outs for bowl game, per Dabo Swinney
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