Clemson Football: Three questions about the running backs

How will the running back snaps be split for Clemson Football?

Barring injuries, Shipley will be the starter, and Mafah will be second-string, but I have no doubt that the official depth chart will say Shipley OR Mafah.

Mafah played well in 2022. Shipley had the most carries and yards, but Mafah proved his abilities. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the carries split nearly evenly between the two.

The wild card is the new offense. We don’t know if the scheme will give one player an advantage over the other. Shipley is often considered the Swiss Army knife – he does a little of this and a little of that. Mafah is perceived as the stronger ‘between the tackles’ type of back.

The reality is that both players are more similar than many might think. Shipley is good between the tackles, and Mafah is a good pass catcher out of the backfield. There might be nuanced differences, but the reality is that the offense didn’t change much in 2022 depending on who was in the game, and it isn’t likely to change Riley’s offense either.

This thought process leans towards the snaps being evenly distributed unless one player gets hot and the staff decides to stick with the guy who has momentum, which will be a welcome change to Clemson fans. Some love Shipley and some love Mafah, but most fans just want to see the offense be successful.