Over the last three seasons, very few players in college football have shown their versatility as much as Clemson running back Will Shipley has. His ability to catch out of the backfield, use breakaway speed on runs, and return kickoffs made him one of the most exciting players in the country.
Shipley now enters the NFL as one of the top five running backs in the class, but how do his college stats tell his story?
Will Shipley Makes Strong First Impression
Entering as a true freshman in 2021, Shipley got a good amount of playing time, starting five of the 10 games he appeared in.
He rushed for over 100 yards three times, including hitting 128 yards in two games against Florida State and South Carolina.
Shipley’s final stats for the season included 738 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. He also had 229 return yards and 116 receiving yards, setting the tone early in his college career that he would be a dominant force in college football.
Rushing Attempts: 149
Rushing Yards: 738
Rushing Touchdowns: 11
Receptions: 16
Receiving Yards: 116
Receiving Touchdowns: 0
Kickoff Returns: 14
Return Yards: 229
Shipley Avoids Sophomore Slump with All-American Honors
One year after starting his college career, Shipley busted loose in his sophomore year with one of the best performances of the season. His best game was against Syracuse, where he rushed for 172 yards and two scores. He also rushed for over 100 yards in four games and two touchdowns in four games.
Shipley eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark with 15 touchdowns while posting career-highs in receiving yards (242) and return yards (270).
He would secure First-Team All-American honors and was the first player in ACC history to be named to the First Team All-Conference in three categories: running back, all-purpose, and specialist.
Rushing Attempts: 210
Rushing Yards: 1,182
Rushing Touchdowns: 15
Receptions: 38
Receiving Yards: 242
Receiving Touchdowns: 0
Kickoff Returns: 13
Return Yards: 270
Shipley’s Final Season Sees Production Drop
His final season in college was not a smooth ride for him or the team as they got off to a 4-4 start but finished with five straight wins. Shipley played in 12 games of those games with his season ending against Kentucky in the Gator Bowl late in the game where he injured his knee.
Shipley’s junior year finished with 827 rushing yards and five scores, adding two more touchdowns in the receiving game.
KEEP READING: Clemson Tigers’ Top 10 Returning Players in 2024
It was a disappointing season for Shipley, but the team went through their struggles on offense, which played a role in the rough start to the year. He still showed the dynamic play-making abilities that will see him make an impact on an NFL roster.
Rushing Attempts: 167
Rushing Yards: 827
Rushing Touchdowns: 5
Receptions: 31
Receiving Yards: 244
Receiving Touchdowns: 2
Kickoff Returns: 7
Return Yards: 147
Will Shipley’s Final College Stats
Rushing Attempts: 526
Rushing Yards: 2,747
Rushing Touchdowns: 31
Receptions: 85
Receiving Yards: 602
Receiving Touchdowns: 2
Kickoff Returns: 34
Return Yards: 646
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