RB Review: Etienne Dominant, Young Backs Explosive

Here's a breakdown of what Clemson did at the running back position. It's the first in a 10-part series reviewing each position in 2019.

Editor’s note: @ClemsonSI is running a series of 10 positional breakdowns each day reviewing the 2019 season.

Clemson continued to be one of the nation’s top programs at the running back position.

The dynamic ground attack of the Tigers was led by Travis Etienne. Etienne, whose snub from the Doak Walker Award finalist list was the subject of passionate discourse from Swinney in the local and national media, has rushed for more than 1,500 yards in 2019. His growth in the passing game was a focus of his in the offseason as well, evidenced now by his third-place rank on the team in receptions (37) and adding 432 yards and four scores in that capacity. 

Spelling Etienne this season has been sophomore Lyn-J Dixon (Butler, Ga.). Dixon (7.11) ranks second behind only Etienne in career yards per carry in school history, adding to his career totals with 104 carries for 635 yards and six rushing touchdowns in 2019. At times this season, the running back rotation has also included respected team leader Darien Rencher (Anderson, S.C.), powerful freshman Chez Mellusi (Naples, Fla.) and shifty freshman Michel “Mikey” Dukes (Charleston, S.C.). 

Here’s a look at what all they accomplished in 2019:

Position breakdown: Etienne announced on Friday his intention to return to Clemson for his senior season in 2020.

Etienne enters 2020 as the ACC’s all-time career leader in rushing touchdowns (56), total touchdowns (62) and points by a non-kicker (372). He earned ACC Player of the Year honors for the second straight season in 2019, becoming the first running back to collect the award in back-to-back years in more than four decades (Mike Voight in 1975-76).

In 2019, Etienne became the first 4,000-yard career rusher in Clemson history. He joined NC State’s Ted Brown, Florida State’s Dalvin Cook, North Carolina’s Amos Lawrence, Maryland’s LaMont Jordan, Louisville’s Lamar Jackson, Georgia Tech’s Robert Lavette, Wake Forest’s Chris Barclay and Boston College’s AJ Dillon to become only the ninth 4,000-yard rusher in ACC history.

Every running back on the Tiger roster found the end zone at least twice in the 2019 season, as a group the backups amassed 11 touchdowns, with Dixon leading the way with six.

Strengths: Clemson's 2018 squad had been the fi rst team in Clemson history to average at least 250 yards per game rushing and passing. Only three Clemson teams in history have averaged at least 200 yards per game of each in the same season (2000, 2015 and 2018). 

This year, Clemson finished as one of only three teams to average 250 rushing yards and 250 passing yards per game, with the other two being two of Clemson's fellow College Football Playoff participants — Ohio State and Oklahoma. 

Of Clemson's total yards this season, 46.2 percent of its yards have come on the ground. Clemson broke the 3,000-yard mark both rushing last season, making the 2019 campaign only the third 3,000 (rushing)/3,000 (passing) season in school history (2015 and 2018). 

Clemson exceeded 200 rushing yards in a game 51 times under Dabo Swinney, posting a perfect record in those contests. Clemson's 17 such games since the start of the 2018 season are the most in the country

Weaknesses: It is hard to find many weaknesses for this dynamic group of playmakers, especially with the emergence of Etienne as a threat in the passing game.

But if there was one glaring weakness it comes in the usage of the running backs — especially Etienne — as was evidenced in the national championship.

Etienne, who carried the ball five times on the Tigers' opening scoring drive of the third quarter had amassed an impressive 6.3 yards per carry average, but the coaching staff had Etienne carry the ball only five times the remainder of the game.

While one might understand the limited usage early in the season, the play-calling in the Tigers' final game of the year is one of the most baffling mysteries of the 2019 season.

Overall grade: A+