Dabo Swinney provides update on Will Shipley after injury

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is still awaiting word on the status of running back Will Shipley, who suffered a knee injury in the Gator Bowl. Shipley left the game after returning a kickoff 60 yards in the fourth quarter and did not return.

The junior running back had to be carted to the locker room and was later seen on the sidelines in crutches. Swinney didn’t have much information to give postgame on the extent of Shipley’s injury, saying he will undergo more tests.

“Will, we’ll do an MRI,” the coach explained. I don’t know if it will be tomorrow or the next day, but we’ll wait and see. Initial reports seem to be encouraging, but you never know until you do the MRI.”

Prior to his exit, Shipley had totaled 29 yards rushing and 11 carries as well as two catches for nine yards. Phil Mafah stepped up to rush for four touchdowns as Clemson scored 28 points in the fourth quarter to pull off a 38-35 comeback win.

Shipley finished this season as the Tigers’ second-leading rusher behind Mafah with 827 yards and five touchdowns. He also corralled 31 receptions for 244 yards and a pair of scores. Swinney explained that while the team is still awaiting word on his Shipley, the initial observation looked positive.

“Again, you don’t want to say anything other than all I can say is they felt like it was best-case scenario just on an observation, but they’ve got to do the MRI before you can have — we’ve had that go both ways; right?” Swinney said. “We’ve had worst-case scenario news and do the MRI and get good news. Initially they said looks like best-case scenario, but we’ll see what the MRI says.”

Shipley has played at Clemson for the past three seasons, establishing himself as a dynamic playmaker in that time. He has rushed for 2,748 yards and 31 touchdowns in his career, which ranks him eighth and seventh, respectively, in program history.

Shipley has also been featured as a kick returner and in the passing game. He became the first player in ACC history to be named as a first team all-conference selection in three different categories (running back, all-purpose and specialist) in 2022.

The running back could return to Clemson for the 2024 season, but has so far not made an announcement on his decision. More news on the extent of Shipley’s injury is likely to come sometime over the next few days.