Let’s face it, getting injured stinks for an athlete. It stinks for the coach as well.
It was definitely disappointing this past winter when Clemson defensive tackles coach Todd Bates learned his two projected starters in the interior of the line were not going to be available for spring practice. Nyles Pinckney had to have minor surgery to repair a pectoral muscle which he hurt and played through during the 2018 season, while Jordan Williams injured the lower part of his leg playing in an intramural basketball game in January.
With the Tigers already faced with replacing All-Americans Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence, plus reserve defensive tackle Albert Huggins, it was not the ideal situation for Bates nor the Clemson defense to be in.