Former Clemson Tigers Fan Favorite Running Back Offers Praise to Dabo Swinney

A former Clemson Tigers standout had some great things to say about Dabo Swinney.

Aug 15, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley (39) warms up before a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The Clemson Tigers had the tough task this season of replacing one of their fan favorites in the backfield.

While Phil Mafah stepped in as the lead back and had a tremendous season, the Tigers offense was missing having Mafah in a duo with another star after Will Shipley departed for the NFL, eventually being drafted in the fourth round last April to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Clemson legend did not see a ton of action during his first year in the pros with just 30 carries for 82 yards along with four receptions for 35 years, but he did make his alma mater proud by bringing home a Super Bowl ring with the Eagles.

Several weeks after becoming a champion in just his first year as a pro, Shipley spoke about how special it was, but he made sure to take some time to specifically talk about his former head coach Dabo Swinney and convey how much he meant to him and his career.

"Coach Swinney, who I could go on about for years because he’s such a good football coach, but he’s an even better leader of young men," Shipley gushed via the Gramlich and Mac Lain podcast. "And that’s what he always says is he has 'a PhD in helping 18- to 22-year-olds.' And he helped me mature, he helped me grow, and he truly got me to where I am right now handed me off to the Eagles organization. And that’s how I see it."

Shipley went on to talk about the difference between the NFL and college and how much Swinney's program prepared him for the NFL.

"My parents handed me off to him and he handed me off to the Eagles organization and I'm a little bit more on my own because it's a business, it's the NFL," he said. "You got such a great support system, but it is a little different. There is no doubt about it. But yeah, I could go on for days about Coach Swinney. He truly is the best."

Over Shipley's three-year career with the Tigers, he racked up over 4,000 all purpose yards and 33 touchdowns as a key part of the offense from the moment he stepped foot on campus.

Seeing where his NFL career grows and develops will be something Clemson fans follow closely for as long as he's on the field, but it's safe to say Shipley has as much love for the program as fans had for him.