A Clemson football player is facing a misdemeanor charge for marijuana/hash possession just before the 2024 season after being arrested on Sunday. According to Pickens County court records, Tigers defensive end Caden Story was arrested on June 21 for possessing 28 grams (1 oz.) or less of marijuana or 10 grams or less of hash. Story’s case, filed in court on Tuesday, is classified as criminal in the Pickens County online database and marked as a “first offense.” He currently owes $615 in fines and costs related to his Sunday arrest, according to the records. In South Carolina, a person found guilty of possessing 28 grams or less of marijuana or 10 grams or less of hash can be imprisoned for up to 30 days or fined between $100 and $200, as per the SC Code of Laws.
When reached by The State, a team spokesman deferred comments on Story’s arrest to coach Dabo Swinney, who will address the media on Thursday at ACC Kickoff in Charlotte. The Greenville News was the first to report Story’s arrest. Clemson’s student-athlete handbook does not mandate an immediate suspension from athletic activities for Story’s arrest, as it did not involve a felony offense, sports wagering, gambling, game fixing, illegal possession of a weapon, or criminal sexual conduct. However, Story will be subject to drug testing under the Clemson athletic department’s use/misuse program and internal program discipline. According to online court records, Story’s first court date is scheduled for a “criminal/traffic court” hearing on Sept. 24 in Central, South Carolina’s municipal court.
Story, 20, is a redshirt sophomore entering his third year with the Tigers. He joined Clemson as a four-star 2022 defensive line recruit from Alabama and has played in 11 career games across his first two seasons. Last year, as a redshirt freshman, Story appeared in 10 out of 13 games, recording two tackles over 59 defensive snaps. He switched positions from defensive tackle to defensive end during the offseason and is expected to play a backup role in 2024. Story’s arrest is the third publicly known arrest of a Clemson football player on a criminal charge this year. Before the 2024 spring practice, defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart was arrested on Feb. 6 on a felony weapons charge and a traffic charge, and wide receiver Noble Johnson was arrested on Feb. 19 and charged with misdemeanor reckless driving after a car accident that sent all three individuals involved to the hospital. Capehart, whose arrest triggered an automatic suspension under Clemson’s guidelines, had his charges dropped later that month. Johnson’s case, which did not trigger an automatic suspension, remains ongoing.
