Clemson's running back situation has a little clarity after Will Shipley decision

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Clemson’s running back situation has a little more clarity this morning. Not a lot, mind you. But a little more.

Running back Will Shipley announced his decision to declare for the NFL Draft on social media Wednesday night. The 5-foot-11, 210-pound junior from Weddington, North Carolina, in 2022 became the only player selected to the all-Atlantic Coast Conference first team as a runner, an all-purpose player and a specialist.

Shipley finishes his Clemson career with 2,747 yards and 31 touchdowns on the ground. He also had 85 career receptions and two receiving touchdowns. He ran for 827 yards and five touchdowns this season as Clemson won its final five games to finish 9-4.

Injuries might have played a part in his decision – he chose to play in Clemson's 38-35 Gator Bowl win over Kentucky last week, and he was knocked out of the game after stumbling and somersaulting out of bounds after a 60-yard kickoff return in the fourth quarter. An MRI showed no structural damage in his left leg.

He missed the Notre Dame game this season while recovering from a concussion suffered against NC State, and he missed three games during his freshman season after an injury sustained against the Wolfpack.

That leaves Phil Mafah – and we are making the assumption that Mafah stays – as the Tigers’ lead back heading into next season. He enters 2024 with 345 rushing attempts for 1,772 yards and 20 touchdowns and 37 receptions for 206 yards in 984 career snaps over 36 games (seven starts). He recorded career highs in rushing attempts (179), rushing yards (965), rushing touchdowns (13), receptions (21) and receiving yards (108) in 506 snaps over 13 games (five starts).

Mafah also had one of the most memorable bowl game performances in school history, recording a Clemson bowl record four rushing touchdowns as the MVP versus Kentucky, including three fourth-quarter scores in the comeback victory.

Who’s next? That’s what spring practice is for. With the departure of Shipley (draft) and Domonique Thomas (transfer portal), the Tigers lose two of their top three backs from last season. Keith Adams, Jr., is next with 14 career carries for 81 yards in 38 snaps over nine games. The redshirt sophomore – who the coaches call “Hammerhead," was used at fullback in the Gator Bowl.

Jay Haynes redshirted this season, but still tallied 35 yards and a touchdown on six rushing attempts, as well as 20 yards and a touchdown on two receptions. He was also credited with one kickoff return for 18 yards. The speedster out of Alabama has all the tools and recorded 251 carries for 2,669 yards and 37 touchdowns in 24 games in high school from 2021-22, averaging an incredible 10.6 yards per carry across those two seasons. He also added 19 catches for 268 yards in that span and posted 1,888 yards on just 177 carries (10.7 avg.) and scored 27 touchdowns as a senior in 2022.

Jarvis Green is another back who redshirted – the Dutch Fork product played ten offensive snaps over two games, totaling three carries for four yards and a 36-yard kickoff return. He made his debut vs. Charleston Southern, rushing once for two yards and recorded a 36-yard kickoff return and two carries for two yards vs. Florida Atlantic.

Class of 2024 commit David Eziomume is an early enrollee and was able to participate in a limited fashion in Clemson’s bowl practice. He will get a long look during the spring. Some of his numbers in high school read more like a video game, and he was ranked by Rivals as its No. 248 overall player in the nation as well as the fifth-best running back in the nation and 32nd-best player in Georgia.

Eziomume was on pace for an outstanding senior season before it was cut short by injury – he led the state of Georgia in rushing through six games with 1,155 yards, including consecutive games of 205, 268 and 326 rushing yards early in the season. He posted his 268-yard day against Milton, the eighth-ranked team in the state and his career-best 326-yard effort included 27 carries and four touchdowns against Robinson; he was named the Georgia Player of the Week by Georgia High School Football Daily in leading North Cobb to a 42-27 upset victory.

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