Dabo Swinney on using Phil Mafah on kick return: 'It's just another touch'

Clemson running back Phil Mafah does it all, including returning kicks for the Tigers early in his first season as the team’s full-time starter. A decision that not all coaches in the country would be willing to make.

Dabo Swinney has a different philosophy than most when it comes to how he decides who returns kickoffs for his team. Which he explained during his Wednesday press conference when asked about the logic behind his starting running back also serving as his starting kick returner.

CLICK HERE to go to PrizePicks and use code ON3 to receive a guaranteed $50 once you play $5 in lineups!

“It’s just another carry, just another touch,” Swinney said. “C.J. Spiller was a starting running back around here and our starting kick returner for years. And [Will] Shipley was a starting running back and starting returner, so that’s something we’ve done for years. We just put the best guy back there.”

Mafah is clearly just the latest Clemson running back to also return kicks for the Tigers. With kickoff representing a play that many regard as one of the most dangerous in football that’s even resulted in a change in format at the NFL level to avoid collisions.

Watch College Football Games Live -Try for Free Fubo! Click HERE NOW

Injuries on kickoff are seemingly more common for blockers and players on kickoff coverage versus the actual returner, and Swinney is clearly a fan of getting his best players the ball in space as much as possible.

“It’s no different than handing them the ball, actually it’s easier, because you got more open space to run. Just another run play if you get the opportunity,” Swinney explained.

Clemson only returned one kickoff in their lopsided 34-3 loss to Georgia in Week 1, a 19-yard return by Mafah to go along with his 59 yards on the ground. But Swinney also made it known that he may not be the only kickoff returner featured this season.

“But we got multiple guys that we really want to see in the return game at some point. But Mafah, and especially in a game like that, he’s the guy that we absolutely trusted under pressure to make the right decisions at the right time in a game like that,” Swinney concluded.

Appalachian State visits Clemson this weekend for their home opener in Death Valley, a matchup where Mafah will definitely be a key difference maker, potentially in multiple facets of the game.