Stanquan Clark injury update: Report reveals if Louisville LB will play vs. Clemson

Louisville will receive a major boost on defense tonight as star linebacker Stanquan Clark is officially set to return against Clemson, per CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. Clark, who has been out since early September with a lower leg injury, was listed as probable throughout the week, but now the Cardinals will have one of their most impactful defenders back on the field in a pivotal ACC matchup.

Clark’s return comes as a surprise, given the expectations surrounding his injury earlier in the season. Back in September, head coach Jeff Brohm said the standout linebacker was “likely” done for the remainder of the 2025 campaign.

Brohm left the door open for a late-season return, though Louisville planned as if they would be without Clark for their final 10 games. Now, the Cardinals are getting reinforcement exactly when they need it most.

The injury occurred on Sept. 5 against James Madison when Clark attempted to make a tackle. He played in just two games before going down, finishing with seven total tackles, six of them coming in that matchup with the Dukes.

Louisville hoped Clark would build on his breakout 2024 season, where he finished second on the team in tackles and earned All-ACC Honorable Mention recognition. Expectations were high for him to take another step toward becoming one of the league’s top linebackers.

The Cardinals’ defense has managed reasonably well in Clark’s absence, but his presence has undoubtedly been missed: “Losing Stanquan, he’s definitely a good piece,” linebacker TJ Quinn said earlier this season. “We all know, we just got to step up, you know, and replace him. But like I told them, it’s always next man up.”

Louisville enters tonight’s game at 7-2 following a heartbreaking overtime loss to California. The Cardinals have remained in the ACC hunt despite injuries and inconsistency, but getting Clark back adds leadership and stability to a defense preparing to face a Clemson team fighting to stay above water at 4-5.

Following their matchup with the Tigers, Louisville will close the regular season with 7-3 SMU and in-state rival Kentucky, currently 4-5. With Clark back in the lineup and meaningful games ahead, the Cardinals once again look like a team capable of finishing the season strong, and his unexpected return could be the spark they need.