With the exit of veteran Lyn-J Dixon and freshman standout Will Shipley being out for the time being after sustaining a lower leg injury versus NC State, Clemson’s running back room is looking much thinner than it did at the beginning of camp, a very similar situation to the Tiger’s dilemma at the defensive tackle position.
Despite the lack of experiential depth though, head coach Dabo Swinney is encouraged by the growth he has seen in guys like true freshman Phil Mafah and veterans Michel Dukes, Kobe Pace, and Darien Rencher.
“Mafah can play,” Swinney told the media on Tuesday. “We love Mafah, but there’s only so many touches and it’s kind of where we were. We were going to try and hold him, but we gotta cut him loose and rock and roll. Our number at running backs is five. We always try to have five on scholarship here and we had six to start the season. Now we have four, but we’ve got more than most people. We’ve got four guys, kind of like ET [Etinosa Reuben]. “
Sophomore Kobe Pace was listed as Clemson’s starter for Saturday’s matchup along with Mafah at backup against Boston College. With that, the opportunity arises for younger guys to step up and perform for the Tigers when they need it most, another one of those guys being junior Michel Dukes. A guy Swinney thinks could be huge for this team if he decides to rise to the occasion.
“It’s an opportunity for Mikey Dukes, who’s one of the best athletes on this team, a guy who’s a sophomore, but hasn’t really taken the step yet to where he’s detailed, consistent day-in and day-out, and all the little things,” Swinney said.
“That’s really kinda what’s held him back and that’s why he’s been where he is. Now, athletically, physically, he’s gifted, but maybe this is an opportunity that he’s going to step up and take advantage of cause he’s going to get a chance. We’ll see, obviously Rencher is a steady guy that we can trust and Mafah’s a great young talent. Again, we were hoping that we could create some separation there, but probably won’t be the case.”
Clemson plays host to an undefeated Boston College on Saturday at Memorial Stadium with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m.
Football season has finally arrived. Time to represent your Tigers and show your stripes!
