How many injuries have Clemson and USC had in 2019? The disparity might surprise you
South Carolina coach Will Muschamp downplayed the notion that his team has had an unusual amount of injuries during a teleconference with reporters following USC’s loss to Appalachian State earlier this month.
“We’ve had four season-ending surgeries... Other than that we’ve had some soft tissue issues,” Muschamp said. “Four-to-six (season-ending injuries) on average is the norm.”
Yet despite Muschamp’s comments, there is no denying it has been a tough year for the Gamecocks on the injury front.
Before the team even released it’s Week 1 depth chart, it was already down a starting tight end in Kiel Pollard and backup safety Jaylin Dickerson for the whole season, plus backup tight end Evan Hinson, who was first sidelined after heart surgery and then transferred to play basketball at a smaller school.
You could count that as 33 games lost to injury off the bat (Hinson would’ve been a special teamer, but maybe not helped that much on offense), but it’s worth looking at how injuries hit the rest of the Gamecocks that were counted on to contribute this year and how USC’s injuries compare to the ones Clemson has suffered.
South Carolina injury breakdown
Quarterback:
Jake Bentley missed the past 10 games with a season-ending foot injury. Third-stringer turned second stringer and receiver Dakereon Joyner missed three games with hamstring issues.
Games missed: 13.
Running back:
Rico Dowdle was out for two games and most of a third with a knee, while Tavien Feaster has missed the past two. No. 3 back Mon Denson has also missed the past two games, and promising freshman Kevin Harris missed a large part of the middle of the season after ligament surgery.
Games missed: 12
Wide receiver:
This is where the Gamecocks took it on the chin. Of the six players on the first two-deep, everyone has missed time. Randrecous Davis has been out all year. Knees bothered OrTre Smith and will possible keep Bryan Edwards out this week. Shi Smith dealt with a hamstring issue, while Josh Vann had a broken hand end his season early.
Games missed: 23
Offensive line:
This is a little tricky because the starting group was shuffled right after the opener. Assuming we don’t count Hank Manos, who was benched but also missed much of the year with an ankle, Eric Douglas missed a few games with an ankle, while an ankle sidelined Dylan Wonnum for five games.
Games missed: 7
Defensive line:
The lone big injury here was Kier Thomas, who had an infection after ankle surgery with a long recovery time. Daniel Fennell also didn’t play last week vs. Texas A&M
Games missed: 10
Linebacker:
Health here was mostly good. Damani Staley had a few weeks with turf toe, and Jahmar Brown had a mild shoulder issue.
Games missed: 5
Secondary:
A thin group because of transfers and the Dickerson injury, this group stayed mostly upright. J.T. Ibe missed the opener, A.J. Turner was listed as a No. 2 corner, but never saw action there in the competitive parts of games. He has missed five games.
Games missed: 6 (5 by Turner as a special teams ace)
Clemson injury breakdown
The injury situation has been much better for the Tigers.
Clemson receiver Amari Rodgers suffered a torn ACL in the spring but stunned everyone when he returned in Week 2. Here is a look at how Clemson has fared.
Quarterback:
Trevor Lawrence and Chase Brice have been healthy the entire season. Lawrence bruised his shoulder in Week 2 against Texas A&M but continued to play and insisted it didn’t bother him at all.
Games missed: 0
Running back:
Travis Etienne and Lyn-J Dixon are a dynamic 1-2 punch and both backs have played in every game this season. Etienne has missed a few series with minor scares but nothing serious.
Games missed: 0
Wide receiver:
The Tigers have had a few issues here but nothing long term. Freshman Frank Ladson was questionable for the season opener after getting banged up in fall camp but played Week 1 against Georgia Tech. Rodgers missed the opener as he recovered from a torn ACL, while Justyn Ross was held out of the Charlotte game because of a sore hip. Still, Clemson has stayed relatively healthy.
Games missed: 2
Offensive line:
Backup offensive lineman Blake Vinson was lost for the year with a season-ending knee injury in September, but other than that the Tigers have stayed fairly healthy. Starting guard John Simpson was held out against Wofford but could have played if needed.
Games missed: 9
Defensive line:
Perhaps the area where Clemson suffered the most notable injury was on the defensive front with Xavier Thomas missing three games with a concussion.
Games missed: 3
Linebacker:
Clemson has stayed healthy all year and the group has played great.
Games missed: 0
Secondary
Backup safety Denzel Johnson missed a game against Wofford, while Tanner Muse missed the second half of an easy win against Louisville. But that’s it.
Games missed: 1
Recap
Clemson has played its starters fewer reps as it has dominated most games this season, but difference in the amount of injuries is still startling. South Carolina’s injuries started in the first game of the season when Jake Bentley was lost for the year and never really stopped. Bentley will miss the last 11 games of the season. South Carolina has co-starters listed at running back with Tavien Feaster and Rico Dowdle and they have missed two games each.
Gamecocks starting receivers Shi Smith, Bryan Edwards and Josh Vann have each missed time, with Smith missing two games, Vann out this weekend and Edwards questionable to miss his second game of the year this weekend.
South Carolina lost a top tackle for five games, having to play two true freshmen for long stretches.
All told, USC has lost, conservatively, 99 games to injury.
Meanwhile the Tigers have had starters miss only six games all year, with receiver Ross and Rodgers each missing one, Simpson being held out against Wofford and Thomas missing three with a concussion.
This story was originally published November 29, 2019 at 9:32 AM with the headline "How many injuries have Clemson and USC had in 2019? The disparity might surprise you."
