Ian Schieffelin reveals conversations with Mo Alie-Cox while deciding to play football

As Ian Schieffelin prepares to make the transition from the basketball court to the football field at Clemson, he sought the advice of a player who had been in his shoes. The Tigers power forward turned tight end revealed he had conversations with Mo Alie-Cox about what to expect.

Like Schieffelin, Alie-Cox began his college career as a basketball player. He played four seasons with VCU from 2013-17 and never played a down of football in that time.

But once his time in college ended, Alie-Cox decided to put the pads back on for the first time since high school. He tried out for the Indianapolis Colts in 2017 and made the team, turning it into a long term career.

Alie-Cox is set to return for his eighth season in Indianapolis in 2025, having made millions from playing football. Schieffelin is hopeful that, with a bit of an earlier start, he can potentially carve out a similar path.

“We kind of had a similar story,” Schieffelin said of he and Alie-Cox. “He went to VCU and he played basketball there. He decided that he was going to have a longer career in football and be able to make more money long term. It’s kind of one of those things where I saw myself in the same shoes as him.”

Alie-Cox wasn’t the first player to find success making the switch from basketball to football. Tony Gonzalez, Jimmy Graham and Antonio Gates all became elite tight ends at the NFL after college basketball careers.

Ian Schieffelin has already used up his college basketball eligibility, finishing with career averages of 8.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Although there are a number of names to choose from to model his game after, he is more focused on learning the basics of the game first.

“Honestly, I still haven’t found my archetype,” he said. “I’m just trying to learn basic plays, basic blocking, basic footwork. Just taking it day-by-day and embracing the journey. It’s not going to be easy, but I’m having a fun time doing it.”

It’s still unclear at this point exactly where Schieffelin will mix in on the depth chart. Olsen Patt-Henry is the projected starter, returning for his third season.

But perhaps depending on how quickly he picks things up, Schieffelin can challenge for some reps off the bench. He’ll get his first opportunity when Clemson opens the season on Aug. 30 against LSU.