CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson’s offensive line will have a new starter at right guard Saturday, and the defensive tackle room may finally get its long-awaited transfer back for Charleston Southern.
Coach Dabo Swinney confirmed Tuesday that sophomore Easton Ware will start at right guard against the Buccaneers. Offensive line coach Matt Luke floated the move last week. Ware opened the LSU game at right tackle while Collin Sadler recovered from injury, logging 49 snaps that day.
Ware has taken 73 snaps across his last four games and played 39 against Miami after starting guard Ronan O’Connell was limited to nine. Ranked among the top 40 offensive linemen in the 2025 recruiting class by one national service, Ware missed his entire freshman year with a shoulder injury.
Swinney said Ware had been ticketed to start at right guard beside Sadler before the tackle depth plan shifted. The staff now wants him inside as Clemson (3-2, 2-1 ACC) tries to clean up mistakes after a 41-13 home loss to Miami on Oct. 3.
On defense, Swinney said transfer tackle Kourtney Kelly remains a possibility for his first snaps of 2026 but needs a couple more practices before a final call. Kelly tore his ACL in the spring game after arriving from West Georgia, where he posted 17 tackles and four sacks last season.
Junior Champ Thompson has praised Kelly’s work in rehab. Swinney has said the staff expects Kelly to play when ready and called his return a potential boost for the interior line against Charleston Southern at noon Saturday.
