Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney announced Saturday that senior defensive tackle Vic Burley has been suspended from the football team indefinitely following his early-morning arrest by the Clemson University Police Department on a charge of public disorderly conduct. The move strips the Tigers of a projected contributor along the interior defensive line just two weeks before their season opener against No. 11 LSU.
Swinney confirmed the suspension in a statement reported by Greenville News, saying Clemson was extremely disappointed by Burley's actions and decisions. The arrest was detailed by the Post and Courier, and came on the heels of Burley already being limited during fall camp, where he worked in a yellow non-contact jersey due to an undisclosed injury, according to The Clemson Insider's coverage of an August 15 update from Swinney.
Public disorderly conduct in South Carolina is an unclassified misdemeanor under state law, carrying a maximum penalty of a $100 fine or up to 30 days in jail, though first-time offenders may qualify for conditional discharge through probation, per Justia Law. The statute covers conduct such as gross public intoxication or boisterous behavior in public.
A Defensive Line Already Short on Answers
The 6-foot-4, 316-pound Burley entered fall camp at defensive tackle, while Clemson sought to bolster its interior defense. Swinney had described the defensive tackle position as a big unknown heading into preseason practice, and he said every defensive tackle on the roster had a lot to prove, per the Greenville News report.
That uncertainty was already compounded by heavy roster turnover. Clemson lost key interior contributors Peter Woods to the NFL Draft and Stephiylan Green to LSU via the transfer portal, prompting the program to bring in Iowa Western JUCO All-American Andy Burburija and Texas State transfer Devarrick Woods as reinforcements, according to 247Sports. Losing Burley, even amid his limited camp reps, removes another body from a group already leaning on newcomers.
A Career Slowed by Injury
Burley arrived at Clemson in 2023 out of Warner Robins High School in Georgia as a five-star recruit and the No. 32 overall national prospect according to the Post and Courier. He missed his entire freshman season with knee injuries, and his production since has been modest: nine tackles in eight games as a sophomore, and 15 tackles with one start across 13 games last season, per the Greenville News. Across his full college career through 2025, he has totaled 24 tackles and half a tackle for loss over 21 games and 267 defensive snaps, according to statistics compiled by The Two Deep.
Clemson held its final preseason scrimmage on August 20, just two days before news of Burley's arrest broke, per the Greenville News report. Burley had been competing for playing time at defensive tackle heading into the opener.
Looming Opener at LSU Raises the Stakes
The suspension lands with unusually high stakes attached. Clemson opens its season on the road against No. 11 LSU on September 5 in a 7:30 p.m. ET broadcast on ABC from Baton Rouge, according to Clemson Athletics' schedule announcement. The Greenville News report notes the matchup also marks Lane Kiffin's debut as LSU's head coach.
Clemson enters the season ranked No. 23 in the coaches poll after finishing 7-6 in 2025, putting added pressure on Allen in his second year running the defense following his previous head coaching stint at Indiana, per 247Sports. The suspension leaves Burley's path back to the field unresolved.
