Clemson Kicker Tears ACL After "Freak Accident" On Last Play Of Practice

Patrick Redford|published: Fri 22nd September, 12:07 2017

Photo: Christian Petersen/ [object Object]

Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney announced Thursday night that kicker Greg Huegel had torn his ACL and would miss the remainder of the season. Swinney said Huegel’s injury happened on the final play of Clemson’s practice:

It was a freak accident on the last play of practice. We were in the two-minute drill, which we do at the end of every Wednesday practice. A defensive player rolled into him after his kick. He walked off the practice field and we hoped it was just a strain or a bruise, but the tests revealed a torn ACL. It’s a big loss. We are talking about a two-time all-conference kicker.

Huegel was a semifinalist for the Groza Award, given to college football’s best kicker, and he had made a career-long 49-yarder last week against Louisville. He’ll be replaced by junior Alex Spence, who has made one extra point in his career.