Clemson Football: Thankful to have been right about Will Shipley

Clemson Football has had two offseasons where we thought the running backs would be the clear leaders of the offense.

We were frustrated in 2022 when the play calling veered from using the running backs, and that led to some big changes as the team moved into 2023.

This season there has been no lack of attempting to run the ball, simply a lack of ability to be productive.

I need to back up a bit now: both Will Shipley and Phil Mafah have been solid backs for the Tigers since they arrived in 2021. For the most part, Shipley has always been seen as the primary back, and Mafah as the second guy.

There have been a lot of Clemson fans who have been adamant that Mafah was the superior player, and they have been vocal about it.

As the running backs struggled to find holes and running lanes behind the offensive line, Shipley struggled the most. He classically has been a patient runner who waits behind his line for the play to develop. Through the first eight games of this season, those holes and lanes just weren’t there.

Mafah didn’t find much more success, but he did find a few openings and broke a handful of chunk plays. He wasn’t getting the most touches, but he was making the most of the opportunities he got.

This led to those who stumped for Mafah to be even more vocal in their support, and by support, I really mean their negativity about Shipley.

One could be objective in assessing Mafah as the better running back this season while also assessing the real problem with the running game wasn’t Shipley. It was the offensive line. Mafah was simply better at making lemonade from lemons.

The Tigers finally made the call to change their blocking strategies as they approached the Notre Dame game, and suddenly the results changed in a major way.

Mafah exploded for a career day when Shipley was in concussion protocol. He had 186 yards and two touchdowns on 36 carries. He was a major reason the Tigers won that game.

Again, Mafah supporters treated this as proof that he was the superior back. There was only one catch: who was to say that Shipley couldn’t find similar success behind the reimagined offensive line?

I didn’t disagree with the staff’s plan to go with the hot hand, and coming off Mafah’s game against the Irish and Shipley’s concussion, Mafah was the hot hand. That was clear.

What wasn’t clear was if the hot hand might change. I was far from convinced that Shipley couldn’t find success with the new blocking scheme.

Mafah had the most carries and most yards against Georgia Tech, but Shipley had the best average per rush and a touchdown. Altogether, both backs had a good performance.

If the blocking is there, either Phil Mafah or Will Shipley will find yards on the ground for Clemson Football

Against North Carolina, Mafah was good. He got the most carries (23) and had 84 yards and a touchdown. He also had two receptions for 7 yards. That’s solid.

Shipley was better. He had 126 yards on 18 carries and a 33-yard rushing touchdown. He also had two catches for 56 yards.

Both backs played well, but it was Shipley who had the big-time night. The problem earlier in the season wasn’t Shipley. It was an offensive line that, for whatever reason, couldn’t master the blocking scheme that Garrett Riley wanted to implement in the new offensive strategy.

I don’t see any reason to rock this boat. Keep Mafah as the starter. Keep Shipley in his current role. Feed Mafah with carries. Work in Ship to the running game and find him in the passing game.

Mafah could be the best back against South Carolina. It might be Shipley. It really doesn’t matter, and it could be the opposite in Clemson’s bowl game. The outcome will be the same: if the blocking is there, either No. 7 or No. 2 will produce.

With things straightened out on the offensive line, we finally have what we expected: a two-headed monster at running back, and it doesn’t matter which head is feeding. When the monster is rolling, we get the best version of Clemson.

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