CLEMSON, S.C. — Defensive tackle Vic Burley made his presence felt Saturday at Memorial Stadium, dropping the quarterback for a sack as Clemson blanked Charleston Southern 37-0, and afterward he spoke for the first time about the arrest that cost him time with the team.
Burley, a graduate senior, was arrested Aug. 22 on a disorderly conduct charge, and head coach Dabo Swinney suspended him indefinitely that same day. Swinney lifted the suspension last month, and Burley has been working his way back into the rotation since.
Speaking after the win, Burley called the episode a low point he is not proud of. He thanked Swinney for a second chance and his teammates for welcoming him back, and said having the game taken away taught him not to take football for granted.
His late fourth-down sack helped protect the first Clemson shutout in five years. The Tigers held Charleston Southern to 76 total yards, only 26 of them on the ground.
Burley came to Clemson in 2023 as Georgia AAAAA Defensive Player of the Year out of Warner Robins, then missed that whole season with knee injuries. He made his 2026 debut against North Carolina and recovered his first career fumble in that game.
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