Clemson star linebacker to miss Orange Bowl vs. Tennessee

Clemson will be without a starting linebacker and one of its best defenders in the Orange Bowl against Tennessee as junior Trenton Simpson will miss the Orange Bowl with an ankle injury, Dabo Swinney announced Tuesday.

Simpson reinjured his ankle during the ACC championship game earlier this month after missing time due to the ankle injury earlier in the year.

“Trenton’s here, but he’s hurt. Trenton’s not going to be able to play. It’s not because he’s not here or gone pro or all that stuff. He can’t play. He’ll probably be ready in about three weeks,” Swinney said. “But that’s probably going to be about right at kickoff time or right after. He missed a game battling the ankle, and then reinjured it in the championship game.”

Trenton Simpson finished with 8 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and 2 quarterback hurries in the ACC title game against North Carolina, playing back in his home city of Charlotte.

The junior finishes the season with 77 tackles, which ranks second on the team. He has 4 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.

“I didn’t think he was going back in, to be honest with you. But next thing I know he’s over there tapping me on the shoulder saying, ‘Coach, I gotta go.’ He rubbed some dirt on it, taped it up and finished,” Swinney said of the ACC title game.

“It would’ve been real easy for him to kind of stay on that sideline. Fortunately he’s not going to have to have surgery. … but it’s probably about three weeks before he’s going to be ready to play.”

Simpson could elect to turn pro, but he has not officially announced his decision.

Either way, he will remain with the team through the bowl game, even though he will not play in the game.

“I’ll let him do that. I know what he’s doing, but I’ll let him do that,” Swinney said.