logo
Dabo Swinney updates injury status of key Clemson football starter, praises position group

Dabo Swinney updates injury status of key Clemson football starter, praises position group

USA Today4 days ago
The Clemson Tigers held their first live game of fall camp Saturday.
Afterwards, Tigers coach Dabo Swinney gave injury updates for starting safety Khalil Barnes and cornerback Jeadyn Lukus, as well as offensive lineman Dietrick Pennington.
"Pennington was there," Swinney told reporters afterwards. "(Lukus) is probably more like Monday. Tuesday he should be back rolling. We'll see where he's at."
While Barnes was a no-go Saturday, Swinney praised the safeties group in his absence.
"Safeties have actually been a bright spot for us," he said. "I try to find the good in everything. I hate that Khalil has been out for a few days, but it's kind of forced the opportunity for Ronan (Hanafin) and Ricardo (Jones) and Kylon Griffin. (Rob) Billings and (Kylen) Webb and those guys are getting a ton of work."
Barnes has been dealing with what Swinney called a "short-term" injury after Wednesday's practice. He started all all 14 games last year and had four interceptions and three pass breakups. That followed a standout freshman season as an All-American in which he had five tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and six pass breakups.
"Our safety group has actually been a really bright spot at camp even with Khalil not out there," Swinney said. "We all know what he is and what he can do. We'll get him back at some point, but I think that group as a whole, the arrow's up by them. Good competition."
Lukus, a senior who started 10 games at cornerback a season ago and had 34 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and seven pass breakups, was in a yellow, no-contact jersey a day not long after fall camp opened on July 30.
Swinney also revealed that a top freshman, defensive lineman Amare Adams, was held out of Saturday's scrimmage.
"He kind of sprained his ankle a little bit yesterday... so he wasn't able to go today, but he'll be back soon," Swinney said of Adams, a five-star recruit who ranked as the nation's No. 2 defensive lineman in 247Sports' class of 2024 recruiting rankings.
Dabo Swinney on first live game of Clemson fall camp 2025
"It was a competitive day, really competitive on both sides. Got a lot done. We really had a very controlled, probably six to nine live plays earlier in the week, but this was the first time to really just go play the ball, you know, where it is. Just have to react to the situations. We had ACC refs here today. Really tried to create a good game feel for the coaches, too, just as much as the players, especially because we got a couple new people from an operations standpoint.
"Again, very competitive. It was good to see defense. They had a couple scores early. Branden Strozier had a big play. Tink had a big play to kind of set the tone early in the day. And then offense battled back, made some big plays. It was probably one of the more competitive scrimmages honestly that we've had in a while since as far as the first scrimmage. For whatever reason... that first scrimmage, sometimes one side just has a better day than the others."
Why Dabo Swinney was 'pissed' during Clemson practice Saturday
Swinney continued after Saturday's live game:
"I thought there were moments from my seat, I was mad at the offense and I was mad at the defense, and then I'd be happy with the offense and happy with the defense, then I was pissed again. You know, from my experience, that's usually not a bad thing when you got both sides that really competed, I've been around some where it's just a bad day, and then a lot of times they'll rally back the next day. But it was some good and bad on both sides. Very competitive. A lot of guys flashed and got some really good work, on all the field zones."
Watch Swinney's full press conference after Saturday's practice below.
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Why five-star recruit Okunlola has stuck with UM, and Mirabal's forecast for him
Why five-star recruit Okunlola has stuck with UM, and Mirabal's forecast for him

Miami Herald

time5 minutes ago

  • Miami Herald

Why five-star recruit Okunlola has stuck with UM, and Mirabal's forecast for him

In this world of instant gratification — where some college football players change schools two or three times in a single offseason — it would have been very easy for former five-star recruit Samson Okunlola to flee Coral Gables and look for a college where he could immediately step into a starting lineup. But Okunlola has displayed a quality in short supply in college sports: patience. Despite entering UM in 2023 regarded as one of the nation's top offensive tackles (247 Sports ranked him fourth among tackles and the 20th-best player overall), Okunlola hasn't complained about playing only 64 snaps on offense last season after logging just 15 as a freshman. He hasn't lamented riding the bench while his Class of 2023 teammate Francis Mauigoa, who was rated the No. 2 offensive tackle in 2023, has started for two years. Instead of entering the portal, Okunlola focused on his studies — he received his bachelor's degree in just 2 ½ years — and worked on his game. The growth has been so pronounced that offensive line coach Alex Mirabal said he's confident that Okunlola 'absolutely' will become a multiyear starter for UM — 'I have no doubt about that' — even though he's not expected to start at the beginning of this season, barring injuries. 'He's going to make it because of his work ethic and want-to, which are unbelievable,' Mirabal said during a recent conversation. 'He has done an unbelievable job [improving]. There are 17 ACC schools; he can start at all of them. He has displayed a tremendous amount of a thing people nowadays lack, which is patience. He's trusting in his work. With his intelligence, he's going to achieve what we all want him to achieve.' Asked if he ever considered leaving, Okunlola suggested he hasn't, though he didn't answer directly. 'I'm committed to the process,' he said. 'I love the process. I love hard work. I love being detailed and getting better.' Mirabal said: 'I tell people all the time — the fans, the media, coaches, they complain about how negative the transfer portal is. And then they question the kid, 'How come you stuck around? How come you haven't jumped in the portal?' I truly believe it's because Samson knows and sees that our coaching staff believes in him and trusts him. I feel he believes in us and trusts us, as does his family. He sees himself growing and developing.' Okunlola's willingness to learn guard has made him more versatile. He now could fill in at four positions if UM has an injury to a starting group that is expected to include Markel Bell and Mauigoa at tackle, Michael McCoy and Anez Cooper at guard and James Brockermeyer at center. Ryan Rodriguez figures to be the backup center and backup left guard. Asked what is Okunlola's best position, Mirabal said, 'it used to be tackle, and I still think it's tackle. But he can play guard. A lot of young guys think 'I'm only a tackle.'… He has grown past [that]. Over the last year and a half, he's like, 'I'm an O-lineman. I'll do whatever it takes.' 'I used to think he's only going to be a tackle. But he's a guy in my opinion that can play either tackle or guard spots.' Okunlola said Mirabal, during the past two years, has encouraged him to 'work on the mental side of the game, watching more film, being more confident in the way I play.' He's healthy now, after sustaining a torn MCL as a freshman, then needing surgery on a hand injury suffered during a UM bowl practice last December. Asked if he has felt any frustration not playing after entering UM as a ballyhooed prospect, Okunlola said: 'I leave it up to the Lord. The Lord has been with me through the whole process.' Okunlola, who was an excellent student at Thayer Academy in Braintree, Massachusetts, recently joined backup quarterback Emory Williams as the only current Canes to graduate in 2 ½ years. 'It's definitely an honor,' Okunlola said. 'My mother cried about it. It was a big thing for me and my family.' He's now pursuing a master's degree in sports administration, taking classes exclusively on line. 'I can put more of my time in person to be in person more for football,' he said. 'And online, I can play with my schedule a little more.'

Scottie Scheffler explains how he chose his fill-in caddie for Ted Scott for the BMW
Scottie Scheffler explains how he chose his fill-in caddie for Ted Scott for the BMW

USA Today

time5 minutes ago

  • USA Today

Scottie Scheffler explains how he chose his fill-in caddie for Ted Scott for the BMW

Ted Scott has been on Scottie Scheffler's bag for all 17 of his victories since they started working together in late 2021. OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Nathan Hubbard, the brother of veteran pro Mark Hubbard, may have described Scottie Scheffler's dominant stretch this season best in a humorous tweet: 'The only thing beating Scottie Scheffler head-to-head right now is his hairline.' Scheffler has won four times, including two majors, and hasn't finished outside the top 8 in his last 12 starts, the longest stretch of such form since Tom Weiskpof did so more than 50 years ago. But Scheffler will have a new twist to deal with this week as he pursues his fifth victory of the season at the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club. He'll be without caddie Ted Scott, who is dealing with a family matter. Scheffler didn't want to speak about whether Scott might return for next week's Tour Championship but said, 'I think Ted's where he needs to be right now, and I think caddying is probably the last thing on his mind, as it should be.' He added: 'I've been able to talk to him a few times. The family is in good spirits. Everybody seems to be doing well. I'm not going to comment any further on anything going on with his family.' Scheffler had Brad Payne, a Tour chaplain and president of College Golf Fellowship, fill in on the bag on Sunday for the final round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He shot 67 and finished T-3, one stroke shy of a playoff. 'That was definitely a bit more of a surprise for me and Ted,' Scheffler said of Scott's departure on Saturday evening. 'Brad did a great job stepping in, but Brad is a friend, he's not a professional caddie.' Who will be Scottie Scheffler's caddie at the BMW Championship? Scheffler has elected to use Michael Cromie, an All-SEC golfer at University of Georgia and winner of the 2014 North & South Amateur at Pinehurst, as his caddie this week. Cromie works for his former Georgia teammate Chris Kirk, but was available to step in for Scheffler because Kirk finished 51st in the FedEx Cup standings and failed to qualify for the BMW, an event where only the top 50 advance for the second leg of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. 'Mike's a great guy,' Scheffler said on Wednesday during his pre-tournament press conference. 'He's just going to try to fill in as best he can this week. Just asking little stuff. A lot of it is just more routine, like, 'Hey, how do you like me to give you the numbers?' When I say I'm hitting a hold shot, he's like, 'Well, what does that mean?' Just little stuff like that that we're figuring out as the week goes on. I'd say most of it is just little stuff like that. He's like, 'Hey, what's your hydration?' When do you like to eat?' Just little stuff like that. I think there's a lot of little stuff that caddies do that go kind of unnoticed throughout a round, and Michael is doing his best to try and figure those things out. I'm trying to also help remember what those things are as well.' Several caddies reached out to the Scheffler camp offering to help the world No. 1 with Scott on the sidelines but Cromie received the Scott seal of approval. 'Ted's good buddies with him. I always liked him. He's a young guy, works hard,' Scheffler said. 'Chris was very nice to let Cromie come work with me this week. He had a good finish to the season. He was a little bit on the outside looking in, but played really good and was close at the end. It was really nice of him to lend his caddie for the week. That was very kind of him.' Scheffler noted that he had to walk off his numbers on Sunday just to double check what Payne came up with and that having a professional caddie by his side will remove some of the stress for him. 'Doing the numbers myself, it's just a bit more work doing that over a four-day event, and that can take a toll on you. It's nice for me to be able to walk up to the ball, see the shot that I can imagine hitting, and then when the numbers come, we start trying to really dial it in,' he explained. 'I think when you have a professional on the bag, it's a bit different, and Michael is someone -- it's not that I don't trust Brad to do the numbers. It was just something that I think both of us probably thought it was a good idea to be double-checking each other.' Scheffler will be in good hands this week but it still marks a significant change and something worth keeping an eye on in regards to how Scheffler handles being without Scott, who has been on the bag for all 17 of his victories since they started working together in late 2021.

Eagles' Jalen Hurts Opens Up on Long Talk With Shedeur Sanders
Eagles' Jalen Hurts Opens Up on Long Talk With Shedeur Sanders

Newsweek

time6 minutes ago

  • Newsweek

Eagles' Jalen Hurts Opens Up on Long Talk With Shedeur Sanders

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Following a joint practice session between the Cleveland Browns and the Philadelphia Eagles, Jalen Hurts and Shedeur Sanders were the last two players on the field. From a distance, reporters could see the two quarterbacks having a conversation, which was described as lengthy. After they spoke, Hurts gave Sanders a ride back to the locker room. After the conversation, the Eagles' star quarterback addressed reporters and spoke on the young rising star. "I'll keep the conversation intimate," Hurts told reporters. "We had a very lengthy conversation. He came to me and just wanted to talk. I'm always my perspective on what I see and how I've gone about things. Ultimately, it takes a great deal of patience and hard work and a sense of resilience. You've got to want it. You've got to want it. I'm supporting him from where I am and wishing him nothing but the best with his opportunities." Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on after the NFL Preseason 2025 game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lincoln Financial Field on August 7, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Eagles defeated the Bengals... Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on after the NFL Preseason 2025 game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lincoln Financial Field on August 7, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Eagles defeated the Bengals 34-27. MoreSanders' path to the NFL is starting off sort of similar to Hurts. He had stints with two different teams in the NCAA, and entered the NFL Draft with a lot of questions regarding his ability to translate to the pros. Hurts' draft stock didn't take a massive hit, as he ended up selected by the Eagles in the second round. As for Sanders, he slid down to the fifth round, which raised a lot of question marks. At the end of the day, Sanders ended up in a situation with the Browns, where he has a chance to play early. A strong preseason could give Cleveland a lot to consider. So far, Sanders is off to a good start. In the team's Week 1 matchup against the Carolina Panthers, Sanders completed 14 of his 23 passes. He racked up 138 yards in the air and threw for two touchdowns. He also rushed four times for 19 yards. While Hurts is still doubted plenty at this stage of his career, his overall success can't be denied. Five years in, he's got two Pro Bowls and one All-Pro honor. The veteran quarterback has led the Eagles to the Super Bowl twice and was the MVP of Super Bowl LIX, when the Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs this past season. With Hurts once being in Sanders' shoes, the Texas-born quarterback was more than willing to give the young rookie some of his time following Wednesday's session. For more Philadelphia Eagles and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store