Dabo Swinney on Clemson running back depth: 'We have a great room'

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney on Friday discussed the Tigers’ stable of talented running backs in 2021, a position group he expressed lots of excitement about.

Following the departure of Travis Etienne, who was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 25th overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Clemson has a bit of a running back competition on its hands. Etienne left Clemson’s program as one of the most accomplished running backs in school history; now, Swinney will look to replace him with Lyn-J Dixon, Kobe Pace, Darien Rencher, Will Shipley and Phil Mafah.

Shipley, a true freshman, is an intriguing name in the competition, as he comes with massive upside but lacks experience. Shipley was the second-ranked running back in the Class of 2021, and he’s the second-highest ranked running back to commit to Clemson in 15 years.

A four-to-five-star prospect, the Weddington, North Carolina native had a stellar high school football career and comes off a Gatorade Player of the Year performance in North Carolina. He was the MVP of the 2019 state championship game, where he rushed for 256 yards and four touchdowns in Weddington’s second straight state title, capping off the team’s 16-0 record. Shipley also rushed for over 4,000 yards and tallied over 1,400 in his three-year high school career, but the 5-foot-11, 205-pound tailback did not have a senior season due to COVID-19.

‘He’s just physically and mentally ready’

Despite having not played organized games in quite some time, Swinney seemed impressed with the freshman’s work ethic, physicality and athleticism.

“Well, he’s just physically and mentally ready,” Swinney said, when asked what makes Shipley different than other tailbacks he’s had in the past. “And, to me, that makes him different right there. Because most freshmen are not. … [Shipley] has been here since January. So, he’s had more time, and then physically, where he came in here is just incredible. He’s so strong, he’s fast, he’s incredibly athletic, he’s a very football-savvy guy from a football IQ standpoint. So, he’s just unique in that regard, but he’s still a freshman. He’s like the shiny new toy, and everybody talks about those guys.”

Swinney was quick to point out that although the “shiny new toy” is commanding attention, there’s are plenty of other running backs that could make an impact for the Tigers in 2021 — notably, Pace, a sophomore that returns to the program with some experience last year behind Etienne.

“Kobe Pace is a grown man,” Swinney said. “But everyone talks about Shipley.

“I think we have a great room,” Swinney continued. “Shipley is special, he’s going to be unbelievable. But Kobe Pace and Lyn-J, [who has] made huge plays for us in his career.”