Dabo Swinney provides injury updates on Bryan Bresee, Will Shipley

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney had a tough weekend, as the Clemson Tigers lost in astonishing, 27-21, overtime fashion to the N.C. State Wolfpack on Saturday — and, to make matters worse, a pair of impact players went down with injuries in defensive tackle Bryan Bresee and running back Will Shipley.

Swinney on Sunday provided updates on the injuries, making it clear that Clemson lost far more than a football game this weekend. It also lost Bresee — the 2020 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and a 2020 first-team All-ACC selection — for the entire season, Swinney confirmed his injury was a torn ACL. Shipley, however, appears to have a less severe injury.

Thankfully, for Clemson, Swinney clarified that Shipley’s leg injury does not require any form of procedure or surgery; he is expected to return in the 2021 season.

Bresee had amassed 13 tackles — including six solo stops — and 1.5 sacks on the season, while also adding an interception in Week 3 against Georgia Tech. Formerly the No. 1 recruit in the country, Bresee wasted no time in contributing to Clemson’s defensive front in a big way. The 6-foot-5, 300-pound defensive tackle finished his freshman year in 2020 with 33 tackles (6.5 tackles for loss), four sacks, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a safety, while starting ten of Clemson’s 12 games.

Brent Venables, Swinney’s defensive coordinator at Clemson, choked up in Saturday’s postgame press conference when asked about losing Bresee.

“You hurt for [him],” Venables said. “I know how hard they work and how they love to compete and love their brothers and love the game. You hate that for them. But we have good young talented guys and that gave them an opportunity to step up, and I was proud of their efforts as well.”

Clemson linebackers coach Baylon Spector echoed Venables thoughts, explaining just how much Bresee means to Clemson’s defense.

“It is tough. James is passionate about getting the calls in and getting people where they should be lined up,” Spector said Saturday. “Bryan is Bryan. He is very disruptive and obviously going to be a great player. I’m praying for him because he is hurting right now and so is Jamie. I know they wish they could be out there. It is tough.”

Shipley, a true freshman from Weddington, North Carolina, had amassed 211 rushing yards on 44 rushing attempts — good for a 4.8-yard average — coupled with five rushing touchdowns this season. Shipley is less of a factor in the receiving game, catching just four balls for 16 yards in the air, but he entered the game as Clemson’s top running back option. Shipley had 11 rushing attempts for 36 yards and a touchdown before being helped off the field and taken straight to the locker room with his leg injury.

Shipley, a former five-star recruit, was ranked as a top-25 recruit in the Class of 2021 heading into Clemson. The No. 1 all-purpose back, he was named Gatorade Player of the Year in North Carolina during his final year of high school football, and he led his team to a 16-0 record and a state 3A title that season.