Can Clemson’s Will Shipley and Phil Mafah be the best “one-two punch” backfield combo in college football this season?

Running backs coach C.J. Spiller weighed in when asked that question Monday while meeting with the media.

“I mean, that’s up for y’all guys to decide,” Spiller said. “Them guys are self-motivated. They’re self-driven. Obviously in today’s world, they see all the stuff that’s out there, but we don’t sit there and discuss ‘hey, let’s be the best.’ Obviously you want to be the best, but that’s up for the media to decide that. The only thing for those guys to do is just go out and perform and take it one game at a time, honestly, and don’t get distracted by the external stuff that’s written or that’s said out there. And I think if they do that, then they’ll have a really good chance to have a great season as a one-two punch.”

Last season, Shipley was the only player in the nation to record at least 1,150 rushing yards, at least 200 receiving yards and at least 300 kickoff return yards. He will once again form a terrific tandem in the Tigers’ backfield with Mafah, the fellow rising junior who recorded career highs last season with 98 carries for 515 yards and four touchdowns while adding nine catches for 48 yards.

While the dynamic duo garners most of the attention in Clemson’s running back room, and understandably so, Spiller pointed out that having depth is especially important at that position – and the Tigers have quality depth behind Shipley and Mafah with redshirt junior Domonique Thomas and redshirt freshman Keith Adams Jr. as well as true freshmen Jarvis Green and Jamarius Haynes, both of whom are expected to enroll this summer.

“You have other guys in that room because we all know, especially playing that position, you just never know what happens,” Spiller said. “You have guys like Domonique Thomas, you’ve got guys like Keith Adams who’s having a phenomenal spring right now, and then you’ve got two guys that’s not even here with Jarvis Green and Jamarius Haynes. So, it’s a very competitive room, and those guys take great pride into that. And they know whoever runs out there, you represent the whole room.

“Obviously with those guys (Shipley and Mafah) being the older guys, they get all the stories written about them, and with that comes a huge responsibility, and those guys do a tremendous job of handling that.”

Spiller knows the story of the 2023 season is a long way from being told, but he is confident that Shipley and Mafah will be eager to show what they can do when the campaign rolls around.

“The story’s unwritten on this year because we haven’t started the season,” Spiller said. “We’re just trying to swallow this offense (new offensive coordinator Garrett Riley’s offense) as much as we can and then once the fall gets here, we’ll see what happens. But I know those guys will be self-motivated to go out and showcase their skills.”

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