Tigers Still Unsure About Running Back vs. the Bulldogs, But it is Not a Bad Thing

When asked who would be the starter for the first time in three years for the Tigers matchup Saturday (7 pm, ABC) against the Georgia Bulldogs, offensive coordinator Tony Elliott was brutally honest.

CLEMSON—The Clemson Tigers lost one of the most prolific running backs in ACC history, Travis Etienne, to the NFL following the 2021 season. 

Etienne burst on the scene as a true freshman at Louisville, a game that signalled to the coaching staff that this was a player they could not afford to keep on the sidelines. Now, four years later, it appears the Tigers have another dynamic running back that will push for early playing time.

"(Will) Shipley, as we well know, is an exceptional young man. Very mature for his age, and you saw that throughout the course of fall camp,” offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said. “Even when you threw him in there with the ones, he wasn't overwhelmed. When you give him the ball, he is going to know what to do. He's like Travis (Etienne) as a freshman - you give Travis the ball as a freshman and he knew what to do. What impressed me is his understanding of defensive structure and anticipation in the blitz pickup. I have no doubt that when the lights come on it's not going to be too bright for Will Shipley.”

When asked who would be the starter for the first time in three years for the Tigers matchup Saturday (7 pm, ABC) against the Georgia Bulldogs, Elliott was brutally honest. 

"We’re trying to figure that out,” Elliott said. “You see I was a few minutes late. We’re still in there having some meeting with Coach (Dabo) Swinney talking about personnel. But it’s been competitive. Just like we talked about last spring, probably the most competitive position has been the running back position. So, I’m excited to see how that unfolds.”

For some the unknown would not be a good thing, but for the Tigers' coaching staff it serves as motivation for each of the running backs vying for the coveted spot.

“So, we have a ton of competition going into this last week, and we may not know until 7:30 who’s running out there first,” Elliott added. “But it’s a good thing because it’s competitive and it keeps those guys hungry, and then they’re going to be ready and appreciative of their opportunities when they do get them.”