Head coach Dabo Swinney has drawn a hard line just weeks before the 2026 season begins. A key piece of the defense is now out of the picture following a weekend incident, in which the player allegedly got in trouble with the authorities.
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Clemson defensive tackle Vic Burley has been suspended indefinitely from the football team. The decision came after Burley was arrested early Saturday morning, August 22, by the Clemson University Police Department.
He was charged with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor. Swinney announced the suspension after the team’s fall camp scrimmage, making it clear there is no fixed timetable for his return.
“Earlier today, I was made aware of defensive tackle Vic Burley’s arrest by the Clemson University Police Department for disorderly conduct early Saturday morning. I have made the decision to suspend Vic from our football team indefinitely. We are extremely disappointed by his actions and decisions,” Swinney told the media.
Burley is removed from all team activities, including practices, meetings, and games, until Clemson decides otherwise. This absence could last through the legal process or an internal university review. Public reports have not provided details about what happened.
The defensive tackle had missed a majority of fall camp due to an injury. However, Burley returned to team’s scrimmage on Thursday. Back then, Swinney had even shared a positive observation, noting that he noticed Burley making some good plays after getting back on the field.
Beyond the discipline, Clemson now has to deal with losing an important defensive-line option at a difficult time.
The suspension creates a huge problem for Clemson’s defensive line
Burley is sidelined only about two weeks before Clemson opens the 2026 season at LSU on September 5. Dabo Swinney’s team was ranked No. 23 in the Coaches’ Poll, a decision that surprised many given the turnover on the roster after the 2025 campaign. A new look LSU under Lane Kiffin is waiting to start their season on a high.
The defensive tackle’s absence is significant because he had already been working his way back from an undisclosed injury during August camp. Burley arrived on campus in January 2023 as a former five-star and top-80 national recruit. He was a standout player at Warner Robins High School in Georgia, where he earned the state’s 5A Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Injuries ended up delaying his development early in his career. With the departures of Peter Woods and DeMonte Capehart, an opportunity opened for Burley to become a starter or a rotational piece in the coming season.
During the 2025 season, he appeared in 13 games, making one start, and completed 15 tackles, half a tackle for loss, and one pass breakup. Overall, he has played in 21 games with one start, 24 tackles, and 267 defensive snaps.
He showed a few flashes of his potential this past spring. He recorded three tackles, two and a half sacks, and a pass breakup. Burley told reporters he had been in the “Crock-Pot” cooking up and that the spring game was his chance to “show the world I’m Vic Burley.”
Swinney noted that Burley needed to stop being comfortable as a backup and instead become a “wrecking ball” on the inside. He made it clear that he believed his player was fully capable of doing just that.
Sophomore Amare Adams, Oklahoma transfer Markus Strong, and junior-college transfer Andy Burburija could all be asked to step up. Sixth-year veteran Dietrick Pennington has also been cross-trained at defensive tackle to help out.
There is no fixed timetable for Burley to return to the field. His future with the program will depend on the legal process.