Clemson safety Tyler Venables healthy now after moped, car scares

CLEMSON — Dabo Swinney joked this week that it might be time to wrap Clemson safety Tyler Venables up in bubble wrap.

The junior has been banged up a couple of times this year, but his health issues have been caused more by incidents away from the field than by plays on it.

Venables missed Clemson’s game at Boston College on Oct. 8 after wrecking on his moped that week. Venables suffered a concussion in the accident. He recalled what happened earlier this week.

“I wasn’t looking, wasn’t paying attention, head first into a car,” he said. “So that was pretty wild. It definitely spiced my life up. So it was pretty interesting.”

Venables once again had an issue with a vehicle this past weekend, slamming his head into his car door on Sunday as he went to pick out a Halloween costume.

“Being stupid. I was at Party City getting a freaking costume and just didn’t tuck my head down,” he recalled. “I sandwiched like a pinball machine in the door. So I’m all beat up, but yea, I’m good.”

When healthy, Venables has been a key contributor in the secondary for the Tigers this season.

The son of Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables, Tyler Venables is sixth on the team in tackles with 32, including one tackle for loss.

He has yet to start a game in 2022, but he has been an important piece of the secondary.

“If we can just keep him available he’ll do more. You wanna just wrap him up in some bubble wrap or something, but he’s a tough kid,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “He wanted to play the one week but he couldn’t. He was completely cut up. His whole face looked terrible and he had concussion symptoms as well, so that set him back.”

Venables was able to play in each of the past two games, though, and the bye week was good for him.

Swinney expects him to end the year strong, if he can avoid injuries on and off the field. Venables has been particularly good in run support, according to Pro Football Focus. He couldn’t be counted on this weekend as the Tigers face a run-heavy team in Notre Dame.

“He’s his daddy’s boy, that’s for sure. Man. Holy moly. He’s had some weird injuries, for sure. But he just keeps going. He really does. He’s a tough kid,” Swinney said. “He’s back in a good spot. The week off has been good for him.”