What each Clemson running back brings to Tigers offense
Clemson has a loaded backfield that is arguably the best in the ACC.
Will Shipley, Kobe Pace and Phil Mafah are each back after receiving a significant amount of playing time last season and making their share of plays.
Shipley is 1A, with Pace 1B entering 2022, but Mafah will be counted on plenty, as well.
Here’s a look at each of the three running backs:
Will Shipley
Height: 5-11
Weight: 205
2021 stats: 149 carries for 738 yards an 11 TDs; 16 receptions for 116 yards
2022 outlook: Shipley is Clemson’s first-team back entering the season and has a chance to be an All-ACC level performer. Shipley can make plays on the ground and catching passes out of the backfield. The North Carolina native is also tough to tackle.
What Tigers OC Brandon Streeter said: “You start with Will and he’s just a tough, hard-nosed leader. Very physical, just hard to tackle running back. And he can do it all. He’s got great hands. He’s got great protection responsibilities, understands the big picture. That’s what’s very impressive about a young guy. He’s only been here a year and a half. He understands the big picture very, very well. So that is something that he does very, very well.”
Kobe Pace
Height: 5-10
Weight: 205
2021 stats: 104 carries for 641 yards and 6 TDs; 12 receptions for 131 yards
2022 outlook: The junior Pace averaged more yards per carry than Shipley a year ago, and while he’s not able to do as many things in the passing game, he is an elite running back who can get tough yards.
What Tigers OC Brandon Streeter said: “Kobe’s got some really good experience. He’s awesome with his vision and making north-south cuts when he needs to and not losing ground and not going east and west. And man, a very dependable guy. A very, very good running back.”
Phil Mafah
Height: 6-1
Weight: 228
2021 stats: 68 carries for 292 yards and 3 TDs; 7 receptions for 50 yards
2022 outlook: Mafah is perhaps a step slower than Shipley and Pace, but he runs hard between the tackles and is excellent in short-yardage and goal line situations. Shipley and Pace were out this spring, which gave Mafah the opportunity to really show what he can do as Clemson’s No. 1 back.
What Brandon Streeter said: “And then you’ve got Phil Mafah, who obviously took all the reps in the spring. He gotten so much better with understanding the big picture. But Phil, you know, heck, he’s been anywhere from 220 to 230, and he can do it all. He really can. I trust him in every situation.”