Clemson starting left guard Elyjah Thurmon was stretchered off the field and taken to the hospital Saturday after a violent head-to-head collision with a Florida State defender during the Tigers' game in Tallahassee. The hit happened early in the second quarter as Thurmon was pushing the pile on a rushing play, and he did not return to the game.
Thurmon suffered the collision with a Florida State linebacker while blocking, according to thestate.com. Medical staffs from both Clemson and Florida State rushed to attend to him on the field, and he was eventually placed on a stretcher and taken by ambulance to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital for evaluation. As he was carted off, Thurmon gave the crowd a thumbs-up, a gesture USA Today reported drew relief from onlookers at Doak Campbell Stadium.
Reports differed on exactly how long Thurmon was down and how long the game was paused. The New York Post reported the contest was paused for 11 minutes, while thestate.com put the delay at roughly 10 minutes. USA Today reported Thurmon was down for nearly 10 minutes before being carted off, while the Post and Courier reported he remained on the ground for six minutes before medical staff got him onto the cart, according to postandcourier.com.
Swinney Offers a Halftime Update
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney addressed Thurmon's status at halftime, telling the ACC Network broadcast that Thurmon was responsive and moving, per USA Today's report. The exact nature of Thurmon's injury was not disclosed, with the Post noting that the details remained unclear. Sophomore Gavin Blanchard stepped in at left guard in Thurmon's place, the Post and Courier reported.
Thurmon's mother accompanied him to the hospital and was holding his hand, according to a report cited by the Post. The sideline scene underscored how quickly a routine blocking assignment turned into a medical emergency for the Tigers' offensive line, which has already dealt with injury concerns at that position this season.
A Season Already Marked by Injury
Thurmon, now in his third season with Clemson, previously went down during the Tigers' Sept. 25 game at Cal, playing 17 snaps before leaving with what theclemsoninsider.com described as a left knee injury. Swinney called him day-to-day afterward and expected him back for the Oct. 17 game against Charleston Southern, a timeline the Post and Courier confirmed, noting Thurmon missed the Oct. 3 Miami game before returning that month.
Scary in-game collisions resulting in players being carted off have not been unique to Clemson this season. Georgia Tech cornerback Jaylen Mbakwe was stretchered off after a collision on Sept. 13, lifting an arm as he was carted away, with Georgia Tech coach Brent Key later saying Mbakwe was moving and responsive, according to ESPN. No further details on Thurmon's condition following his hospital evaluation have been made available.
