Tag: Darien Rencher

Clemson in wait-and-see mode with freshman RB ‘as good as anybody we have’

Clemson has used the first two weeks of the season to get a look at all of its scholarship running backs in game action. All of them except one, that is. After Kobe Pace, Will Shipley and Lyn-J Dixon got all of the reps at the position in Clemson’s …

Clemson has used the first two weeks of the season to get a look at all of its scholarship running backs in game action.

All of them except one, that is.

After Kobe Pace, Will Shipley and Lyn-J Dixon got all of the reps at the position in Clemson’s opening loss to Georgia, Michel Dukes and Darien Rencher took their turn rotating in during the Tigers’ rout of South Carolina State last week. But it didn’t take long for Clemson coach Dabo Swinney to mention the one running back who’s still awaiting his chance afterward.

“(Phil) Mafah is right there with those guys, to be honest with you,” Swinney said during his postgame press conference.

Swinney again brought up Mafah unsolicited during his media availability Tuesday ahead of the Tigers’ ACC opener against Georgia Tech on Saturday at Memorial Stadium when discussing the group.

“Wait until you see Mafah. Wait until you see him,” Swinney said. “He’s as good as anybody we have.”

So why hasn’t the true freshman played yet? Swinney said the answer can largely be found in Clemson’s depth.

A tweak to players’ eligibility window made by the NCAA in 2018 allows players to appear in as many as four games while still maintaining their redshirt for that season. Dixon, Pace and Shipley are currently at the head of the running back class with Swinney saying he thinks of each one as a starter. Rencher is a sixth-year senior who’s earned the coaching staff’s trust over time while Swinney said Dukes, a sophomore, is also a capable back who should be able to help the Tigers this season despite still needing to work on that trust factor.

With the running back room still intact from a health standpoint, Swinney has opted to hold Mafah out for now, though he “definitely will” play at some point this season, Swinney said. Mafah was a consensus top-300 recruit nationally and ranked the No. 8 running back prospect by Rivals coming out of Grayson (Georgia) High last year. At 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, he’s also the biggest back on the roster.

“He’s a sledgehammer, man,” Swinney said.

But, in a perfect world, Clemson would like to redshirt him, so the plan is to be picky about which four games Mafah plays. Plans, though, can always change.

Swinney said the coaches didn’t want to waste one of those four games in a blowout win, but injuries and each back’s production are among the situations over the course of the season that will ultimately dictate whether or not the Tigers will be able to keep the redshirt on Mafah. One situation currently playing out is the dynamic between running backs coach C.J. Spiller and Dixon, who has had a much more limited role than expected with just six touches (five carries, one reception) through two games.

Like the rest of Clemson’s primary backs, Mafah is repping against the scout team during practice, not with it. It’s the Tigers’ way of keeping him ready for whenever his number is called.

“I’d like to hold him if I can,” Swinney said in reference to a redshirt. “Don’t know if we’ll be able to do that, but for sure we’ll get four games. It may be a barnburner, 27-24 game, and he’s played in that game. I don’t know. It will truly be a week-to-week deal.”

Football season has finally arrived. Time to represent your Tigers and show your stripes!

Will it be running back by committee for Clemson?

With just eight days left before Clemson and Georgia kick off the season with their top-5 clash in Charlotte, Dabo Swinney still hasn’t seen much separation among the Tigers’ running backs. At this point, Clemson’s coach isn’t really looking for it. …

With just eight days left before Clemson and Georgia kick off the season with their top-5 clash in Charlotte, Dabo Swinney still hasn’t seen much separation among the Tigers’ running backs.

At this point, Clemson’s coach isn’t really looking for it.

“They’re all kind of right there (near the top of the depth chart),” Swinney said.

Swinney compared the options in the backfield to the depth the Tigers have at defensive end, where five players have started multiple games for Clemson. Neither Lyn-J Dixon, Kobe Pace nor true freshman Will Shipley have started a game at running back for Clemson, but that’s likely to change inside Bank of America Stadium on Sept. 4.

They’ve consistently led the competition having all gotten first-team reps during fall camp, but as for which one takes the field for the Tigers’ first offensive snap?

“I mean, I don’t really care who runs out there,” Swinney said. “I’ve got confidence in those guys. Those guys are ready to play. A lot of competition, but competition among really good players. And I feel really good about that group.”

So the task of replacing the ACC’s all-time leading rusher, Travis Etienne, is trending toward a committee approach among Clemson’s current collection of backs, which also includes Derion Rencher, Michel Dukes and another freshman, Phil Mafah. All of them bring something a little bit different at this point of their respective careers.

For Dixon, it’s a wealth of knowledge and experience. The 5-foot-10, 195-pound is heading into his fourth year in the offense with 1,372 rushing yards and 519 career snaps having served as Etienne’s primary backup the last couple of seasons.

At 5-10 and 210 pounds, Pace may have the best combination of size and shiftiness at the position and will have a much larger role after getting just 23 touches out of the backfield as a freshman last season. As for Shipley, there aren’t yet any collegiate snaps to his name, but, according to his coaches and teammates, the five-star signee’s skill set has been as advertised ever since he arrived on campus in January.

Most notably, Shipley possesses the kind of speed that already has his teammates debating whether or not he’s the fastest player on Clemson’s roster. The Tigers could also try to take advantage of that by getting Shipley in space as a receiver or even in the return game.

“He’s probably a good assumption,” Swinney said, referencing the likelihood of Shipley seeing the field early and often this season. “He’s a definite guy. Don’t think there’s any big secret there.”

Rencher, who began his career as a walk-on, is a sixth-year player that hasn’t gotten a ton of opportunities (74 career carries) but has Swinney’s trust whenever he’s on the field. Dukes missed part of fall camp but is back with the team while Mafah, a four-star recruit, is already the biggest back on the roster at 6-1 and 225 pounds.

“I don’t foresee a situation where one guy is playing,” Swinney said. “I think we’ve got a really, really talented group, and they’ll all have a hand in it.”

Football season has finally arrived. Time to represent your Tigers and show your stripes!

How is Clemson’s running back competition shaping up?

Clemson has no small task when it comes to finding its next workhorse at running back, and whether or not a featured option even emerges in the Tigers’ backfield is still a question without an answer. But there is no shortage of candidates. Travis …

Clemson has no small task when it comes to finding its next workhorse at running back, and whether or not a featured option even emerges in the Tigers’ backfield is still a question without an answer.

But there is no shortage of candidates.

Travis Etienne is no longer around. The ACC’s all-time leading rusher is in Florida going through his first NFL training camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said he likes the potential of the running backs still on his roster even if they don’t yet have the production to go with it.

The task for Swinney, offensive coordinator Tony Elliott and running backs coach C.J. Spiller over the next three weeks is settling on the depth chart there, which remains fluid six practices in.

“From top to bottom, it’s a really good group,” Swinney said. “Certainly, those top guys, they will all have an opportunity.”

Lyn-J Dixon and Kobe Pace entered fall camp listed as co-starters, and there hasn’t been much separation to speak of so far. Dixon, a senior, is the more experienced of the two having spent the last four years as Etienne’s primary backup, but Pace has gotten his fair share of reps with the first-team offense during portions of practice that have been open to the media for viewing.

Asked exactly how those first-team reps have been split between the two, Pace said it’s essentially been 50-50 but left some lines to read between with his answer. Ultimately, though, Pace said he isn’t exactly keeping count.

“I’m not going to say I’m getting the most reps because it doesn’t matter,” Pace said. “Whoever runs out there should get the job done.”

But one of Clemson’s running backs will take the field first when the Tigers open the season Sept. 4 against Georgia in the Duke’s Mayo Classic. Pace said he’s gotten more comfortable with the playbook since last season when he got 18 carries and caught seven passes in nine games as a true freshman, which he believes should help in his bid to do that.

Meanwhile, Dixon said he still wants to improve every facet of his game if he’s going to separate himself from the pack. The 5-10, 195-pounder has rushed for 1,372 yards and 13 touchdowns in 39 career games and ranks second only to Etienne in school history in yards per carry (6.6), but whether it’s durability, receiving skills or pass protection, Dixon said he still has a lot to prove to his coaches considering the role he’s pursuing.

“Even though I know I could be good at something, I want to be great at something,” Dixon said. “So I’m going to keep working on everything and perfecting my craft with everything I do.”

There’s also true freshman Will Shipley, who’s created plenty of buzz during camp. The five-star signee has impressed with his natural leadership skills and raw speed, which some teammates believe may be the best on the team. There’s also not quite as steep a learning curve at this point for him and fellow freshman Phil Mafa, who have been with the program since January after enrolling early.

“They don’t look like freshmen at all,” Swinney said.

Sixth-year senior Derien Rencher has largely been used as a reserve during his time with the Tigers, but Swinney said he fully trusts the 5-8, 195-pounder when he gets in a game. It’s made for plenty of heated competition that will continue among the backs as they aim for their spots in the pecking order.

“It’s like you can’t take no day off, so you’ve got to keep working and keep working hard each and every day,” Dixon said.

Swinney said every back is still in contention for the top spot on the depth chart. And given how tight the competition has been so far, he didn’t rule out the possibility of that fluidity remaining in place once the season arrives.

“All those guys have done a good job, but it’s going to be a tough competition,” Swinney said. “And it’s not like we’re going to just play one guy. That could be a game-by-game, week-by-week type of deal just based on how it all shakes out. But they can all play.”

Clemson Football pokes fun at sixth-year club

Clemson Football poked fun at the sixth-year club on Twitter Saturday. The social media team brought headshots of the Tigers from their freshman season in 2016 for them to hold up while they stretched ahead of their sixth fall camp in the program. …

Clemson Football poked fun at the sixth-year club on Twitter Saturday.

The social media team brought headshots of the Tigers from their freshman season in 2016 for them to hold up while they stretched ahead of their sixth fall camp in the program.

The transformations are pretty crazy to look at and the player seemed to enjoy it.

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

Ross, Rencher All In with NIL

Justyn Ross thinks the change in NCAA policy to allow student-athletes to profit of off their name, image and likeness is long overdue. The Clemson wide receiver hosted a meet and greet event in Greenville, S.C. on Sunday afternoon with his teammate …

Justyn Ross thinks the change in NCAA policy to allow student-athletes to profit of off their name, image and likeness is long overdue.

The Clemson wide receiver hosted a meet and greet event in Greenville, S.C. on Sunday afternoon with his teammate Darien Rencher at Charleston Sports Pub. Fans trickled in from noon until 2 p.m. toting Clemson memorabilia, 2018 national championship Sports Illustrateds and received signed photos as they sought an opportunity to meet the two Tigers and perhaps pose for a few pictures.

The sight exemplified the recent shift in college athletics that college athletes across the country have welcomed with open arms.

“It’s basically something that everybody has been waiting on for a long time and we are happy that it is finally here. This is something you can build your brand with and use in the near future,” Ross told The Clemson Insider. “It’s definitely at least seven years overdue.”

The NCAA formally removed rules that restricted student-athletes from profiting in exchange for promotions on July 1 this summer.

Since then several prominent stars in college football announced NIL partnerships. Last week Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei announced a deal with Bojangles at the ACC Kickoff in conjunction with North Carolina signal caller Sam Howell.

At SEC Media Days, Nick Saban estimated that Alabama’s Bryce Young signed close to $1,000,000 in endorsements before taking his first snap. Miami’s D’Eriq King launched a branding agency with Florida State quarterback Mackenzie Milton called Dreamfield and signed several deals of his own including a deal that will allow up to 90 Hurricanes to pull $500 a month from America Top Team in exchange for advertisements.

Even though Rencher serves as a behind the scenes catalyst for the Tigers he participated in two events on Sunday as a result of the NIL including throwing out the first pitch for the Greenville Drive game after the event with Ross.

The two Tigers agreed that the change allows student-athletes to prepare for life without football.

“I think it’s huge and long overdue for us to be able to make money or profit off our brands. Obviously, the market is there for it and I think both of us are trying to maximize it while we’ve got it,” Rencher said. “And we want to do more things after we leave football after we leave Clemson but to make money and build our brands while we are here means the most.”

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

Is Spiller more open to a pecking order heading to fall camp?

In the last seven seasons Clemson has had two different leading rushers, Travis Etienne and Wayne Gallman. As the Tigers prepare to enter fall camp in a couple of weeks, they find themselves in unfamiliar territory without a leading candidate who …

In the last seven seasons Clemson has had two different leading rushers, Travis Etienne and Wayne Gallman.

As the Tigers prepare to enter fall camp in a couple of weeks, they find themselves in unfamiliar territory without a leading candidate who has emerged as the starting running back.

Running backs coach C.J. Spiller beat around the bush when asked about a pecking order at the Clemson Football Media Day on Tuesday.

But Spiller doesn’t feel like his unit necessarily needs an alpha dog in order to be successful when the season kicks off.

“As far as having that one lead dog I don’t think we need that because it will take a collective effort from everybody,” Spiller said. “In years past you always had Travis but as a running back it is going to take multiple guys for us to be successful.”

Clemson does not lack talent in the running back room with Kobe Pace, Lyn-J Dixon, Phil Mafah and Will Shipley all vying for carries. In Spiller’s assessment all four tailbacks and Darien Rencher are needed for the group to maintain the high standard for the Tigers.

“You have to make sure everybody in your room is prepared because if somebody goes down that doesn’t mean the standard goes down, the standard won’t go down and it will be set at a high level,” Spiller said. “Guys that came through here like Terry Allen, James Davis, Wayne Gallman, Andre Ellington, Reggie Merriweather set that standard.”

Pace showed out in the Orange and White game this spring as he led both squads in rushing with six carries for 64 yards and a touchdown and impressed the coaching staff throughout spring practice. Dixon asserted himself as the No. 2 while Etienne toted the rock and brings experience to the unit as a senior.

The freshmen Mafah and Shipley will also compete for carries immediately during fall camp. Shipley enters with high expectations as a five-star talent that was rated as the No. 1 all-purpose back by some services with his speed and knack for winning games. Mafah brings a unique mix of speed and power that he showed in the spring.

“As far as ball carrying yes because you never know what is going to happen in the game,” Spiller said. “There is a high standard in our room so it doesn’t matter who runs out there those guys on the sideline watching you will expect you to get the job done.”

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

Replacing Etienne will not be easy, but it is not why you think

Going into spring practices no one was really sure what to expect at the running back position at Clemson. The coaches had the task of replacing the ACC’s all-time leading rusher in Consensus All-American Travis Etienne. That was not going to be an …

Going into spring practices no one was really sure what to expect at the running back position at Clemson. The coaches had the task of replacing the ACC’s all-time leading rusher in Consensus All-American Travis Etienne.

That was not going to be an easy task, or so they thought. The Tigers’ ability to recruit the position at a high level seems to be paying off. So much so, new running backs coach C.J. Spiller says he will have no pecking order when it comes to the depth chart coming into fall camp, which will begin next month.

Besides having a career 1,000-yard runner in Lyn-J Dixon, Clemson also so saw tremendous progression from sophomore Kobe Pace, as well as in freshman running backs Phil Mafah and Will Shipley. The Tigers also have Darien Rencher and Michel Dukes in the mix, too.

Lyn-J Dixon, Sr., 5-10, 195: The rising senior enters 2021 with 1,372 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 208 career attempts and 183 yards on 18 catches in 38 games. He enters his fourth season ranked second in school history, behind Etienne, in yards per carry (6.60). He was banged up a good bit in 2020 due to a knee injury he suffered in the preseason. However, he played well for the Tigers down the stretch. Dixon rushed for 46 yards and scored a touchdown against Pittsburgh in Game 9. He also recorded a 19-yard touchdown run against Virginia Tech in the regular-season finale and had a 15-yard run against Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. In the Spring Game, he carried the ball just four times, but he averaged 6.3 yards per carry.

Kobe Pace, So., 5-10, 215: As a true freshman in 2020, Pace carried the ball 18 times for 75 yards, while playing in nine games. He also caught five passes for 26 yards with one touchdown. In his 18 carries, he was not stopped behind the line of scrimmage. He scored his first career touchdown on a 7-yard reception against Georgia Tech. Pace led all runners with 69 yards on six carries in the Spring Game, including a 26-yard run.

Phil Mafah, Fr., 6-1, 220: The freshman ran for 38 yards on six carries, including the game winning score in the Spring Game. In three years at Grayson High (Loganville, Ga.), he rushed for 2,526 yards on 288 carries, an 8.8-yard per carry average, and scored 37 total touchdowns. He had 10 100-yard rushing games in 29 career games. Hailing from the same high school as former Clemson great and current New York Giants running back Wayne Gallman, Mafah is a different type of back than Gallman. He possesses an outstanding combination of size and speed. He is a downhill runner who is known for running between the tackles at 220-plus pounds, but also has enough speed to race past defenders and take the ball to the house. Mafah’s athleticism shows up on film, and he has the ability to make defenders miss in space.

Will Shipley, Fr., 5-11, 200: He was invited to play in the Under Armour All-America Game and was the Gatorade Player of the Year in North Carolina and Charlotte Observer Player of the Year for 2019. He was the MVP of the 2019 state championship game when he rushed for 256 yards and scored four touchdowns in a win over Lee County. He rushed for 4,173 yards on 503 carries (8.3 yards per rush) in his three-year high school career, and also had 1,411 receiving yards on 84 catches for a 16.8-yard average. He scored 80 touchdowns in his career. Shipley, is a threat out of the backfield catching passes in addition to the weapon he is in the run game. He looks like a power back at 5-foot-11 and around 200 pounds, but also has top-end speed — as evidenced by his sub-4.5 second 40-yard dash time — and can not only run by defenders but has the physicality and toughness to run through tackles as well. He is adept at using his excellent vision to follow blocks and find running room.

Michel Dukes, Jr., 5-10, 205: Dukes has played in 18 games in his Clemson career, including eight games last year. He has rushed for 205 yards and scored two touchdowns on 40 career carries. In 2020, he ran the ball eight times for 55 yards.

Darien Rencher, *Gr., 5-8, 195: Originally a walk-on, Rencher turned into a team and community leader last season. The graduate student enters 2021 having recorded 74 carries for 375 yards and three touchdowns while playing in 35 games in his career. In 2020, he won the Disney Spirit Award, which is presented annually to college football’s most inspirational player, coach, team or figure. On the field, he played in all 12 games and rushed 24 times for 137 yards with one touchdown and caught two passes for 15 yards. His 50-yard touchdown against Virginia Tech in the season-finale was the second longest run of the season by any Clemson player.

Note: *redshirt

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