No One Hates Baby Blue Like Clemson’s Shipley

UNC did all it could to get former NC State fan to flip allegiance

Kevin Vandervort / All Clemson

CLEMSON, N.C. — There probably is not anyone on the Clemson football team that hates the color baby blue more than running back Will Shipley.

The Weddington, N.C., native grew up an NC State fan. In fact, his mother’s side of the family has 26 NC State graduates.

“Growing up an NC State fan, you hate the Tar Heels. That is how it is,” Shipley said. “You have your family reunion, no blue whatsoever or you would have to leave the house.”

Despite that rule, North Carolina and head coach Mack Brown pursued Shipley, who was the top player in the state of North Carolina coming out of high school. The Tar Heels tried everything to get the talented running back to switch sides, including befriending his grandmother.

Brown and Shipley’s grandmother, whom he calls Nini, became text buddies. Brown tried to use his grandmother’s influence to pull Shipley to Chapel Hill.

“I guess he thought if he was able to get close with Nini, then they would have a better chance,” Shipley said smiling. “They texted and called all the time. I actually had to tell her a couple of times, ‘Nini, you have to chill out. You don’t how this stuff works. You got to know what they are trying to do here.’”

Brown’s plans to win Nini over did not work. But as we know, Shipley did not go to NC State, either. Instead, he landed at Clemson and will take on No. 23 North Carolina Saturday in the ACC Championship Game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

“There is a little fuel to the fire. That is just how I grew up,” the Clemson running back said. “But, at the end of the day, we are trying to win a championship and send these seniors off with an ACC Championship ring and beyond that.”

A win over the Tar Heels will send Clemson to play in the Orange Bowl Classic, as part of the New Year’s Six, on Dec. 30 in Coral Gables, Fla.

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