With Clemson’s spring football season in the books, The Clemson Insider is taking a look at where things stand at each position heading into the summer.
After assessing the quarterback position, running back is up next.
Note: This is where things stand with Clemson’s personnel for the 2023 season coming out of the spring. With the transfer portal in full effect, things are always subject to change, though the two-week spring window for undergraduate players to enter the portal closed Sunday. This story will be updated as needed to reflect any future modifications at the position.
Who’s staying?
Will Shipley, Phil Mafah, Keith Adams Jr., Domonique Thomas
Who’s leaving?
None
Who’s joining?
Jarvis Green, Jay Haynes
Analysis
Clemson should have one of the ACC’s top backfield tandems next season with Shipley and Mafah back in the fold.
Shipley is coming off the first 1,000-yard rushing season of his college career and is one of the nation’s top all-purpose backs heading into his junior season, which should allow first-year coordinator Garrett Riley to get creative in how he uses Shipley both as a runner and a receiver out of the backfield. Mafah is the Tigers’ clear-cut No. 2 and gives Clemson another well-rounded back who could also return kicks if needed.
The biggest question for the running back room is what kind of depth does it have behind those two?
The Tigers have numbers with four other scholarship backs on the roster heading into the fall, and Thomas showed during the spring game that, while small in stature, he’s not your typical former walk-on. But there aren’t a ton of game reps that have been had behind Shipley and Mafah. Adams and Thomas have combined for 26 snaps so far in their careers while Green and Haynes have yet to get to campus.
Clemson will get its first look at the incoming freshmen once falls camp rolls around. Green rushed for more than 4,600 yards during his prep career at Dutch Fork High in Irmo while Haynes averaged more than 10 yards per carry during his last two seasons at Roanoke (Alabama) High. Of course, there’s much more to getting on the field as a true freshman back than running the ball. Can either push for playing time in year one?