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Collin Sadler, who couldn't lift finger after injury last year, may start Clemson football opener
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- Collin Sadler, who couldn't lift finger after injury last year, may start Clemson football opener
CLEMSON — Last season was challenging for Clemson football offensive lineman Collin Sadler .
Sadler, who attended Greenville High School , played in two games with one start to begin 2024 before suffering a calf injury against App State in Week 2. He was unavailable until he was active for FSU in Week 6 and Virginia in Week 8 but did not play.
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He was out the following two games, then Clemson coach Dabo Swinney ruled him out for the rest of the season on Nov. 12 after he had back surgery.
Sadler said his back issues limited his range of motion. At times he couldn't lift his pinky finger or exert pressure on his spine. It was the first major injury of his career, causing him to not be around to help Clemson win the ACC and return to the College Football Playoff.
"It was terrifying. You work your whole life toward a goal whether that's being an All-American in high school, coming to a D1 college, coming to a Power 5 program, coming to a program like Clemson, and it can be gone like that," said Sadler, a junior. "Taken away in an instant."
Sadler, a versatile lineman who can play guard and tackle, called his injury a "blessing" because it allowed him to observe football from a different perspective and appreciate what can be taken for granted when healthy.
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Those things include putting socks on, dressing himself, or taking a shower without any help. Sadler said he had to progress slowly because of how sensitive the back was but cherished the little victories in his rehab.
A major moment in his recovery was when he pulled off a "half-crutch," where he reached halfway up on the crutch exercise, in the latter part of last year.
"That was a huge milestone for me," Sadler said. "I could do half a crutch. I set up halfway, and I was like 'Yes!'"
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Clemson has not announced who will start at left guard, but Sadler, who enters his fourth season at full health, said he has been receiving first-team snaps at the position. Swinney said Sadler and Harris Sewell are battling for left guard after Clemson's first scrimmage on Aug. 9. The Tigers look to replace Marcus Tate, whose eligibility expired.
With Sadler in the lineup, No. 6 Clemson's projected Week 1 starting offensive line against No. 9 LSU on Aug. 30 (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC) at Memorial Stadium would also include Tristan Leigh (left tackle), Ryan Linthicum (center), Walker Parks (right guard) and Blake Miller (right tackle).
"(Sadler's) a great football player. The guy's a mauler," Swinney said. "Collin is special. He's really, really good. I know it's big praise for a guy that hadn't played much."
Sadler and the rest of the offensive line will be critical for Clemson's success on offense. They will be tasked to protect quarterback Cade Klubnik , a Heisman favorite, and create lanes for the Tigers' running backs.
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Clemson was tied for 57th in FBS in sacks allowed last season with 25 (sixth fewest in the ACC), a decrease from 28 in 2023. The Tigers' offensive line will need to improve in run blocking though as Clemson ranked 48th in rushing offense but did not rush over 75 yards in the final two games of the season.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football: Collin Sadler may start after 'terrifying' injury
