CLEMSON — When Clemson knocked off rival South Carolina last month, the Tigers did it despite the fact most of the team spent the entire week leading up to the game in sick bay.
“Somebody got sick, which meant another guy got sick. I tried to avoid [team trainer] Pat Richards,” Swinney said. “I would see him coming and I would just go the other way. It was bad news every day. Every single day.”
In fact, Clemson had nine players hooked up to IVs at the team hotel just hours before kickoff.
Running back Will Shipley was one of those players. Richards had to hold him out of practice for much of the week. In fact, Thursday was the only day Shipley practiced prior to the 22nd-ranked Tigers’ 16-7 victory in Columbia.
“It was horrible to be honest with you,” Shipley said earlier this week, as Clemson gets set to play Kentucky in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Dec. 29 in Jacksonville, Fla.
Shipley was one of those players that got sick early in the week. He went to bed feeling bad that Sunday evening, and when he got up the next morning, he was feeling worse. When he got to the facility, he learned he tested positive for the flu.
Clemson’s talented running back missed all of Monday’s and Tuesday’s practice and did nothing on Wednesday either.
“I tried to get out on Thursday. I just could not get through practice. I was not feeling well still,” Shipley said. “We ultimately decided we were still going to make the trip to Columbia and do what we could to get me ready for the game on Saturday. I was just able to make it happen.”
Shipley just didn’t make it to Columbia, but he played a big role, running for 80 yards and catching four passes for 32 more yards. He was mentally prepared because his roommate is fellow running back Phil Mafah, who got him up to speed on the game plan.
As for physical preparation, Shipley said he was feeling about 70 percent when the game kicked off, the worst he has ever felt playing in a football game.
“That was definitely the sickest I had been leading up to a game and then also during a game,” he said. “I would go two or three plays and felt the urge to throw up and get off the field. It was a tough weekend. It kind of set me back a little bit.”
Shipley carried the ball 14 times and still logged 41 snaps, despite feeling the urge to puke on every other play.
“It’s tough, but you look out there and see Phil struggling too because he is having to go nine, ten or eleven straight plays,” he said. “Coach Swinney actually showed us a video this week that summed it up tremendously. The greatest teams and the greatest competitors are going to dig deep and find a way to compete for their brothers besides them.
“I will say Phil firsthand and then all of my other teammates knowing what they sacrificed for me… I just missed being out there with the guys, so I just ultimately wanted to get out there and play with them and help them out as much as I could.”
To honor Clemson’s special senior class Dear Old Clemson is selling footballs signed by 7 of Clemson’s Avengers for only $100. These limited edition footballs are signed by Thomas, Orhorhoro, Davis, Mascoll, Henry, Murphy and Williams. Get one while supplies last.
