After Clemson held its first fall practice session of 2022, the Tigers’ starting running back spoke to the media and weighed in on the offense’s mentality heading into the season.
While Clemson’s entire offensive unit didn’t live up to expectations last season, Will Shipley was one of the bright spots for the Tigers, leading the team in rushing yards and touchdowns as a true freshman.
Shipley couldn’t fully participate in the spring because of a foot injury, but now fully healthy, he and the rest of the offense have a more driven and determined mindset than the group did in 2021.
“It’s totally different than last year,” Shipley said on Friday. “I feel like just the comradery and the chemistry; we’re just so much tighter as a group. Everybody is so locked in, and we all just have a common goal. You’re either helping that goal or hurting that goal, and everybody in that room wants to help it.”
As an offensive unit, Clemson was 100th in offensive yards per game in the FBS last season with 359.2, an output that contributed to some of the difficulties in winning games.
For Shipley, that disappointment for the offense has established a new appreciation for winning, a sentiment that head coach Dabo Swinney has also reiterated will benefit this team for years to come.
“We kind of had to reset, and coach Swinney has said it multiple times, but we got put in our perspective of not every win is going to come easy,” Shipley said. “We’ve got to respect every opponent, and we’ve got to appreciate every win. So I think that is really what it comes down to – nothing comes easy at a place like Clemson University. We’re one of the best programs in the country, so we’re going to get everybody’s best every single week. As an offense, we have to produce to help that defense out a little more than we did last year.”
Playing a role in that progression is first-year offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter, who is tweaking the offense to fit the team’s strengths.
“It’s a little bit more simple,” Shipley said. “Everyone can understand it a little better, but we’re moving faster, and it’s more efficient. We’re trying to up the tempo a little bit and get the ball in the ballplayers’ hands.”
Shipley is one of those offensive playmakers, as he had a team-high 739 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns last year.
Still, he emphasized his personal growth during the summer, “learning how to move on quicker” when making a mistake, as well as sharpening his receiving skills.
“As an elite athlete, I want my teammates to trust me. When my number is called, I’ve got to be ready to go regardless of what happened the previous play, and I’ve definitely improved in that sense.”
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