Shipley, Clemson Running Game was All Smiles

Sophomore ran for 139 yards and averaged 11.6 yards per carry.

Ken Ruinard / USA TODAY Sports

CLEMSON, S.C. — When Will Shipley breaks into the open field, there is nothing he enjoys more.

“I love being in open space,” the running back said after leading No. 5 Clemson to a 48-20 victory over Louisiana Tech Saturday night.

The 80,542 at Memorial Stadium loved seeing it too.

Shipley was running in open space most of the night, as he rushed for a career-high 139 yards on just 12 carries. Two of those carries went for touchdowns, including a 32-yard jaunt through the Bulldogs’ secondary.

“I can remember telling my mom, way back in the Pop Warner Days, that my favorite thing in the world is just you and the end zone,” Shipley said. “So, any time that gets to happen, I have a huge smile on my face.”

Shipley has been smiling a lot to start the 2022 season. His two-touchdown performance on Saturday marked the first time at least since 1950 that Clemson had a player score at least two touchdowns in each of the first three games to start a season.

“I just love getting into the end zone,” the sophomore said. “It is one of my favorite things to do and when I can break a long one and feel fast. When I get out (in space), it makes me even happier.”

Shipley averaged 11.6 yards per carry, the first Tiger to average at least 10 yards per carry since Travis Etienne did it in the 2020 ACC Championship Game.

“He is an animal, man! That guy, he gives a hundred and ten percent every time he is out there,” Clemson offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter said. “He is such a tough and hard-nosed guy. Man, he has shown through his experience and maturity how he can make all the different types of runs, whether it is zone or counter. Just the bunch of different ways of getting the ball, whether we are throwing it to him on screens or a quick bubble pass or something. He is just a guy that you can depend on, and it is fun to be around him.”

Clemson (3-0) finished the game with a season-high 280 rushing yards on 39 carries. As a team, the Tigers averaged 7.2 yards per carry. Four different players averaged at least 5.5 yards per carry.

“That O-Line up front, they were doing their job,” Shipley said. “The holes were there. Very physical from my eyes. All I can ask for in the long run. If they do that, then they have done their job. Then I have to do mine now.

“I think running the football worked really well tonight.”

And that had Shipley smiling a lot.

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