Shipley Lays it All on the Line, Every Time for His 'Brothers'

A beaten, battered and bruised Will Shipley met with the media for the final time in 2022 and handled himself with grace and honesty.

Zach Lentz | Jan 2, 2023

Shipley Lays it All on the Line, Every Time for His 'Brothers' /

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Clemson Tigers

DANIA BEACH, FL.—Battered and Bruised.

That was the way that Clemson running back sat in front of a throng of media following the Tigers' 31-14 loss to the Tennessee Volunteers in the Capital One Orange Bowl early Saturday morning.

When he was asked why he is so willing to put his body to the limit of what is possible, even hurdling defenders, he gave a passionate answer.

"Just start off by saying I do it for the guys around me. I wouldn't want to play for any other university. I love my brothers. That's truly who I do it for," Shipley said. "I go out there, make a couple plays, but I missed a couple, as well, that I wish I could have back. 4th-and-1 earlier in the game, missed a signal. I shouldn't have those mistakes, especially mental errors.

"But at the end of the day like Cade said, we competed, and there's absolutely no doubt about that. But there's a lot of improving to do on my end and just all around, but I love these guys, and I'd truly do anything for them."

The defeat ended Clemson’s 16-game winning streak in December games, a streak that dated to Clemson’s 2011 ACC Championship Game victory against Virginia Tech. However, for Shipley, all that means is it is now time to get back to work and start a new streak.

"I think we've got a bunch of dudes on this team who are hungry, hungry to come back next year and prove something," Shipley said. "We've got to keep our heads down, got to work in the off-season, get right back to it, but there's no doubt that we've got what we need in that locker room to get where we want to go."

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