Will Shipley on Clemson Debut: 'I Have to Make a Play'

Clemson running back Will Shipley learned plenty of lessons in his first college football game and first overall game in nearly two years last Saturday against the Georgia Bulldogs.

Will Shipley didn't look at his college debut as a chance to get his feet wet. 

The Clemson running back didn't care that he hadn't played football at any level since 2019. It didn't matter that he was a freshman. 

The goal for Shipley was clear: help his team win every chance he got. That's not something he accomplished, though, as the No. 6 Tigers (0-1) lost 10-3 to No. 2 Georgia in Charlotte, N.C. In front of his family and friends in his hometown, Shipley managed just seven yards on for carries and caught one pass for 11 yards. 

Shipley took responsibility and didn't pass the blame for the offense's struggles. 

"With the opportunities I got, I've got to make something happen," Shipley said. "I came in here as a freshman and they give me opportunities, I can't be getting the ball four times for only seven yards. The opportunities were there. I've got to make a guy miss. I've got to make something out of nothing, and I'm not even saying there was nothing there, But I've got to make a play whether it's one carry or 10 carries. I put that on myself."

To be fair, there weren't many offensive standouts in general for a Clemson team disappointed it was kept out of the end zone. But Shipley has a bright future ahead and was thrilled to play his first game last Saturday. 

"Going back to Charlotte, playing a top-5 game, playing really my first football game in nearly two years, playing for Clemson University, it was unreal," Shipley said. "It's something that I'll remember the rest of my life."

The highly-touted freshman, who's been compared to Charlotte Panthers versatile running back Christian McCaffrey, made a huge splash in spring practice and fall camp with his teammates and coaches. 

He's been called the fastest Tiger on the roster, and he showed up with the mentality that he can play and compete against anybody. It helped land him a role in Week 1. 

"I'd like to think I'm one of the fastest guys on the team, but my in-game speed has to improve from a mental standpoint," Shipley said. "I won't be able to fully exhibit my speed until I'm there mentally and confident. I'm looking forward to improving that."

Getting better is his mindset in general. Shipley said he learned against Georgia that there are so many little details to his game that can help him turn a short run into a huge gain, and he didn't do those in Charlotte., Also, he said he missed a couple of blitz pickups. 

"I'm very self-aware," Shipley said. "I'm in love with this game and I can't wait to improve for my team." 

Overall, Shipley's debut wasn't a productive one from a stat-sheet standpoint, but he now knows what it takes to play at this level. Now, he attention turns to another debut: Shipley's first game at Memorial Stadium this Saturday against S.C. State. 

"Running down that hill, I just can't wait for it. I know that feeling is going to be something I can tell my kids about. It's gonna be awesome.

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