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HARTSVILLE MADE. That’s how DeMonte Capehart describes himself—rooted in a small South Carolina town, raised by a single mom in a big family, and fueled by the people who poured into him—the ones who gave him the nickname “Cuddie” many years ago. That foundation is why he’s still at Clemson, and why this season matters.
Capehart had every reason to move on. Instead, he sought—and received—a waiver to return, determined to “perfect my craft” after a year that didn’t meet his standard. “I was just appreciative of the opportunity to come back,” he said. “Last season wasn’t what I hoped for. I’m grateful they gave me that opportunity.”
The why behind the waiver is simple: get healthy, then get right. Capehart missed most of the spring with an ankle injury, a lingering issue that colored 2024 more than he let on at the time. “Football is football. Things happen,” he said. “It’s frustrating when you can’t stay healthy.”
The response has been deliberate. He lives in the training room: “I attack prehab every day; those guys are my best friends,” so that availability stops being a storyline. The bet is that a healthier Cuddie looks more like the tone-setter who surged late in 2023 than the stop-start version from last fall.
There’s evidence already across the career arc. Since debuting in 2020, Capehart has logged 550 snaps in 45 games (six starts), totaling 59 tackles, 10.5 for loss, 2.0 sacks, three pass breakups, and a forced fumble. For a rotational interior lineman, that’s steady impact; the goal now is consistency with a starter’s volume.
Under new defensive coordinator Tom Allen, Capehart says the message is clarity and structure. “He has a structured plan and knows exactly how he wants it to go,” Capehart said. “We just follow it.”
His own checklist tracks with that approach: “Footwork, hand placement, technique—a whole lot,” he said, adding, “I attack prehab every day; those guys are my best friends.” Between Allen’s blueprint and the day-to-day work with DL coach Nick Eason, the assignment is straightforward: clean technique, steady availability, and finishing plays.
One on-field difference Capehart expects this season is more single blocks. With Peter Woods spending more time at defensive tackle (after flexing outside last year) and edge help sliding toward T.J. Parker or transfer Will Heldt, interior 1-on-1s should be a more regular diet. “You get more single blocks,” Capehart said, “and that’s an opportunity to dominate.”
That’s the unlock for a healthy Capehart—turn singles into disruptions: early down wins, negative plays, and third-and-longs where Clemson can unleash its edges. It’s also where his technical to-do list—“footwork, hand placement, technique”—translates from practice points into production.
Ask Cuddie about the room and he’ll go straight to the heartbeat: “Our front is like a brotherhood—we value each other, we bleed together, we love each other.” He calls himself a “notepad… a headlight” for younger linemen, someone who can answer questions on the fly and model the day-to-day.
Capehart lights up when he talks about freshman Amare Adams: “He’s violent, dominant, way more athletic than me. His feet never stop—he’s a punisher.” Of redshirt sophomore Vic Burley, he says, “He’s growing—violent, hard-hat mentality, shows up every day.” That mix—veteran ballast with rising talent—gives Clemson both depth and edge.
Capehart won’t bite on opener hype. “We value every opponent the same—LSU, The Citadel, anyone. We attack each game the same way.” That’s not coyness; it’s the point. This season isn’t about slogans or comparisons to past great Clemson lines. “We appreciate those guys,” he said, “but we’re starting our own legacy. We can’t talk our way into anything. We’ve got to go show people.”
For Cuddie, showing looks like this: a fully healthy fall, cleaner technique, and a steady drumbeat of interior wins that tilt downs before the ball ever gets to the perimeter. If he hits that standard, his return year becomes exactly what he wanted it to be: a money year built on roots, routine, and results.
