Clemson DL likely to miss 'a couple of games' with injury

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney is excited to see redshirt sophomore defensive end Armon Mason on the field this season. Unfortunately, he will have to wait a little bit to do so.

Mason is set to miss time early in the season, Swinney recently told WCCP.

“The kid that we’re really, really excited about is Armon Mason. He’s probably going to be out a couple of games. He’s working through a little bit of a late camp injury,” Swinney said. “But hopefully we’ll be able to get him back sooner.”

Mason appeared in six games last season, recording a tackle in the ACC Championship game against North Carolina.

The son of former NBA player Anthony Mason, Armon Mason turned heads this spring.

“Armon Mason – nobody even knows who he is,” Swinney previously said. “Y’all better learn who Armon Mason is, because if he sticks with it here, he’s going to be a problem.”

Mason attended Richmond Hill High in Georgia, prior to joining the Clemson program as a walk-on in 2021. Mason redshirted his first season at Clemson, before playing a limited number of snaps on special teams in 2022.

“That guy is fast and explosive. He came here about 190 pounds knowing nothing. Now he’s about 235. He’s got about a 38 inch vertical. He can really run and change direction. He can bend,” Swinney previously said. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s not going to win any awards right now. He still has a ways to go. But he’s a kid that I just put on your radar, that if he hangs in there and keeps going, he’s going to help us.”

Clemson receiver Troy Stellato back at practice

Clemson receiver Troy Stellato has been unable to stay on the field throughout his career due to injuries.

However, Stellato is now back at practice after tearing his ACL last preseason. Swinney is hopeful that the injury struggles are behind the former four-star recruit.

“We’ve got Stellato back. He’s been practicing for the last several days,” Swinney told WCCP. “It’s just a matter of Stellato being available. He’s been the most unavailable player in the history his first two years. But I’m a very patient guy. The kid’s got a ton of talent. And it’s not his fault. He just hasn’t been able to catch a break. But if he can ever stay on the field and stack days, he can compete with anybody we’ve got.”