Clemson's rushing attack presents a big challenge for South Carolina
South Carolina’s defense will have their hands full with Clemson’s rushing attack Saturday evening. The Tigers feature two dynamic backs in Will Shipley and Phil Mafah.
The pair have run for 1,523 yards and 14 touchdowns to this point in the season. Mafah leads the way with 149 carries for 805 yards and nine touchdowns. While Shipley comes in with 141 carries for 718 yards and five touchdowns.
Clayton White’s defense has allowed 143.1 average rushing yards per game this season. Meanwhile, Clemson enters the game rushing for an average of 176.7 yards per game.
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“They’ve always had staples over there. They have two good ones, even the third back is pretty good and you’ve gotta be ready for the quarterback,” White said. “Clemson football, that’s what they want to do is pound you and get you sucked into the play action, but they’ve always had good backs.”
Mafah is a dynamic running back who has really found his groove this season for the Tigers, especially as of late. He’s run for 366 yards in the last three games largely aided by his 186-yard and two-touchdown day against Notre Dame.
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Shipley entered the year as the No. 1 running back for Garrett Riley’s offense but has since split time with Mafah’s resurgence. The split time does not affect Shipley in the slightest. He has still been able to get between the tackles and rip off some big gains.
Shipley has 22 carries of 10+ yards this season. This can be a big problem if you allow him to keep stacking big runs.
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“Will Shipley is a good back who I thought was going to NC State and now here we are,” said White who used to coach for the Wolfpack and was recruiting Shipley to join him in Raleight..
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Shipley has done a lot of his work at Tiger Stadium going for 478 yards and four of his five touchdowns. Mafah has a similar split rushing for only 206 yards and three of his nine touchdowns on the road.
Clemson’s quarterback, Cade Klubnik, is also no stranger to designed runs. Klubnik has rushed 57 times for 290 yards when you factor out the sacks. He has straight games this season with a rush over 10 yards.
Klubnik’s biggest issue is fumbles. He has fumbled 11 times this season. The Gamecock defense has generated nine turnovers in the last three weeks.
That means they will be punching at the football hard and doing anything to get the ball out.
