DeMonte Capehart, Shelton Lewis injury update: Dabo Swinney gives troubling update on Clemson defenders

The Clemson Tigers left their game against the Louisville Cardinals banged up, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Unfortunately, head coach Dabo Swinney had a troubling initial update on defensive lineman DeMonte Capehart and defensive back Shelton Lewis.

In the update, Dabo Swinney reportedly shared that DeMonte Capehart and Shelton Lewis will both be considered week to week going forward after getting hurt against Louisville.

“Injury-wise, we had a couple guys down. Capehart will be week to week, and so will Shelton,” Dabo Swinney said. “Everybody else will be day-to-day at this point.”

A former four-star recruit in the Class of 2020, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, Capehart is a key veteran player on the interior of the defensive line for the Tigers. This season, he has 15 tackles and a tackle for loss. Swinney explained that he got his ankle rolled up in the game.

As for Lewis, he was shaken up, according to Swinney. This season, he has 11 tackles and two passes defended in seven games of action.

Despite those concerning updates, everyone else who got banged up and had to leave the game at one point is going to be considered day-to-day, a more positive update. That includes edge rusher Peter Woods and defensive lineman Tré Williams. For his part, Williams was able to return to action against Louisville.

Peter Woods currently has 14 tackles, including six tackles for a loss and a sack in seven games this season. He’s also forced a fumble. For his part, Tré Williams has 10 tackles and a tackle for loss in eight games this season.

Those injuries, particularly to the defensive line, contributed to the frustrations that mounted for Clemson during the Louisville game. After winning six straight games, the Tigers fell flat against a tough Louisville team, with the Cardinals rushing for 210 yards and gaining 6.2 yards per play for the game. For a Clemson team that’s now 59th in rushing defense, giving up 140 yards per game on the ground. That’s good for ninth in the ACC.

Moving forward, Clemson is going to want to address those issues against the rushing attack. However, with the defensive line now dealing with several players being banged up, it’s not going to be easy to address for Swinney and the Clemson coaches.

Next up for the Clemson Tigers is a road test against Virginia Tech. That game will be key for the Tigers to get back on track late in the season.