Clemson Football: Three questions about the special teams

Will Clemson Football use Will Shipley and Antonio Williams in the return game?

Shipley averaged 21.3 yards per kickoff return in 2022. That’s decent and puts him tied for 40th in the FCS. Williams averaged 8.5 yards per punt return in 2022, which ranked him 29th in the FCS.

Both players were productive in those roles last year, but most would agree that the hope is that the bulk of the production from both players comes from their day jobs.

Some teams don’t like their star players to have a role on special teams. Returning can be a dangerous job. A star running back moonlighting as a kick returner isn’t just more energy expended; it increases the likelihood of injury. The same applies to a No. 1 receiver taking punts.

The staff must balance what the player provides on special teams with the importance of their role for the offense.

Another obvious variable is if they have anyone else who can do the job. Not necessarily someone who can do the job better, but someone who can be adequate to the task.

Shipley is important to the offense, but he has Phil Mafah with him at running back. They will be splitting reps, so there is less chance the extra wear and tear will be a significant impact. On the other hand, more players can be reasonably effective on kick returns, including Mafah. This gives the staff the freedom to use Shipley more liberally on kick returns, but they aren’t necessarily in a position where they must use him.

It’s the opposite on punt returns. Williams didn’t start the season as the punt returner. Clemson eventually put him there because the best anyone else could accomplish was to call for a fair catch. It is unknown if anyone could step up and be as productive as Williams receiving punts. On the other hand, there isn’t a 1 and 1A right now at receiver. Williams is the best receiver on the team, and to lose him to injury would be devastating.

If Garrett Riley’s offense is rolling, the Tigers might not have a problem calling for fair catches on every punt. Otherwise, they will probably have to run the risk of putting Williams in on punt returns.