Chris Denson’s breakout was supposed to be the beginning of Clemson’s newest quarterback conversation.
Instead, it’s now paired with a familiar weekly question heading into rivalry week: How healthy is he, and will he be available?
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Tuesday that the true freshman quarterback had his foot stepped on during Monday’s practice while running scout team reps — an injury that kept him from finishing the session and left his status uncertain with South Carolina looming.
“Unfortunately, he got his foot stepped on (Monday) on the scout team and wasn’t able to finish,” Swinney said. “He was over there wearing No. 16 for them.”
Scout-Team Role, Real Consequences
Denson wasn’t just taking random reps. He was playing South Carolina for Clemson’s defense.
Swinney said Denson was wearing No. 16 in practice to simulate Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers and his rushing style — the kind of assignment that asks a young quarterback to turn his athleticism into a weekly game-plan tool.
That’s also where the injury happened.
“I don’t really know how bad it is,” Swinney said. “I just know he wasn’t able to finish practice.”
Swinney did not offer a timetable, did not label Denson questionable or doubtful, and made it clear the staff is still evaluating the situation.
The Furman Flash That Changed the Tone
The timing stings, because Denson’s late-game work against Furman didn’t look like typical freshman mop-up duty — it looked like a clip file.
In his most extended action of the season, the left-handed quarterback was electric: 4-for-4 passing for 22 yards and a touchdown, plus 106 rushing yards and another score, highlighted by a 50-yard run that showed exactly why Clemson recruited him.
Two touchdowns. Perfect passing. Triple-digit rushing. In a matter of minutes, Denson went from “developmental freshman” to “package potential,” at least in the minds of fans eyeing Clemson’s offensive ceiling.
Asked About A South Carolina Package? Dabo Smiles, Says Nothing
Naturally, the next question came fast: if Denson is healthy, could Clemson use him in a special package against South Carolina?
Swinney wasn’t biting.
“You think I would answer that?” Swinney joked.
That’s classic rivalry-week gamesmanship — the kind of answer that reveals nothing while reminding everyone that Clemson isn’t interested in giving South Carolina even a sliver of clarity.
But the bigger point remains: Swinney doesn’t yet know how significant the injury is, and Clemson won’t be in a hurry to telegraph whether Denson is part of the plan, even if he’s available.
What It Means Heading Into The Palmetto Bowl
Clemson’s quarterback depth chart has been a recurring weekly storyline. Denson’s emergence added a new dimension: a true freshman with game-breaking legs who can stress a defense in ways most backups can’t.
Now, with his foot injury still undefined, Clemson enters the week with a variable that affects both preparation and potential play-calling creativity.
If Denson can go, he’s the kind of wrinkle that can change a series — maybe change a quarter — in a rivalry game that historically turns on one busted assignment. If he can’t, Clemson’s “Sellers simulation” piece is suddenly a lot harder to replicate, too.
Either way, Swinney said what he could, and left the rest where he prefers it: behind closed doors, deep in the week, and as far away from South Carolina’s ears as possible.