Dabo Swinney provides injury update on Joseph Ngata

If the Clemson offense is going to improve this season, wide receiver Joseph Ngata will have to continue to be a team leader. He is returning for his senior season, working with quarterback DJ Uiagalelei and hoping to once again light the ACC on fire. However, Ngata was not a full participant in practice on Monday.

Head coach Dabo Swinney provided an injury update shortly after practice after somebody noticed Ngata was in a yellow jersey. He said the wide receiver will be fine, getting banged up on a spectacular play he made a few practices back. The hope for Swinney is that Ngata will get to play in Saturday’s scrimmage.

“He’ll be fine,” Swinney said. “He had a great play the other day and kind of just came down hard. Made a great play, just another day or so. Hopefully ready to go couple days this week with the scrimmage on Saturday. He’s had a great start, really good start. In fact, it was a really good play. He’ll be fine.”

Ngata was Clemson’s second-leading receiver last year but will be the top returning. He finished with 23 passes for 438 yards and a touchdown over eight games, earning a start in nine of them. As his career has progressed with the Tigers, his role has only increased. That trend will continue into 2022.

Health has always been an issue as well for Ngata. Swinney and his staff have discussed how the wide receiver is finally fully healthy, labeling him as a guy who could have a true breakout season. Ngata only appeared in nine games last year and has missed nine games over the past two seasons.

While seeing another injury pop up for Ngata may be concerning, Swinney does not seem too worried about any missed time. Clemson has an important scrimmage upcoming, the first of fall camp. The head coach fully expects his projected top receiver back in the rotation and participating by then.