Will Shipley
Will Shipley
5’-11” 200 lbs
Position: RB
Hometown: Weddington, NC
Commit Status: Clemson (signed May 5, 2020)
Will Shipley – Get to Know Him
In 2023, the spotlight shines on football sensation Will Shipley. With 1,920 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns in 24 career games, including 19 starts, Will’s freshman year in 2021 marked an immediate impact. In 2022, he etched his name in ACC history, securing first-team All-ACC honors in three categories and earning a finalist spot for the Paul Hornung Award, recognizing versatility. Will joined an elite group, achieving 11 or more touchdowns in both his freshman and sophomore campaigns, a feat shared with players like Travis Etienne, Lamar Jackson, and Giovani Bernard. Not just a force on the field, Will excelled academically, earning two All-ACC Academic Team selections. In 2022, he became Clemson’s first Academic All-American in a decade and the first Clemson running back to achieve this distinction.
Will Shipley’s journey epitomizes dedication, showcasing remarkable athleticism and academic excellence. He serves as a role model, inspiring others with his unwavering commitment to success in both the world of sports and academia, where these paths harmoniously converge.
Latest news:
1/3/2024 – Will Shipley, Clemson’s standout running back, has declared for the 2024 NFL Draft, marking the end of his collegiate career, as reported by Cameron Salerno of CBS Sports. Following his successful tenure with the Tigers, Shipley has announced his decision to forgo his remaining eligibility and enter the draft, potentially becoming one of the top running backs selected. Shipley’s departure marks a significant loss for Clemson, with uncertainties surrounding the future of fellow standout Phil Mafah. While Shipley’s draft stock suggests a Day 2 selection, his versatility and playmaking abilities position him as a potential early pick, leaving a notable gap in Clemson’s backfield for the upcoming season. [Salerno, 2024].
12/31/2023 – In a recent Greenville News article, Scott Keepfer reports that Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney provided an update on the condition of running back Will Shipley’s injured knee, confirming that surgery will not be necessary after Shipley’s MRI results came back encouraging. Shipley sustained the injury during the Gator Bowl victory against Kentucky but managed to contribute significantly to the game’s outcome, showcasing his resilience and talent. Shipley’s future plans, including a potential return to Clemson for another season or entering the NFL Draft in 2024, remain undecided as he evaluates his options with his family. [Keepfer, 2023].
11/19/2023 – In Clemson’s 31-20 victory over No. 20 North Carolina, junior running back Will Shipley showcased a remarkable performance, accumulating a season-high 126 rushing yards and a career-tying 53 receiving yards, as reported by Christina Long in the Greenville News. Despite a second-quarter fumble in the red zone, Shipley rebounded impressively in the second half, contributing 128 of his 179 all-purpose yards and scoring a crucial 33-yard rushing touchdown. The win elevated his career all-purpose yards to 4,006, securing a spot in the top 10 in program history. Shipley, facing a decision between returning for a fourth college season or entering the NFL Draft, participated in Clemson’s Senior Day but remains undecided. Coach Dabo Swinney expresses hope for Shipley’s return, emphasizing the dynamic tandem he forms with fellow running back Phil Mafah, while acknowledging Shipley’s potential success at the professional level. (Long, 2023).
9/22/2023 – In an online article by Christian Goeckel published on FanNation on September 22, 2023, Florida State head coach Mike Norvell expressed his admiration for the Clemson offense, notably highlighting the exceptional versatility of Will Shipley. Norvell praised Shipley for his ability to both catch and run the ball, emphasizing his toughness and physicality. Norvell also acknowledged that Shipley had been an X factor in previous games against Florida State and recognized the challenge of containing him. (Goeckel, 2023).
9/18/2023 – In an article by Scott Keepfer from the Greenville News, Keepfer reported that thanks to the new NIL rules, the Chipotle restaurant in downtown Clemson will temporarily be renamed ‘Shipotle’ in recognition of Clemson football’s Will Shipley. Shipley, a junior from Weddington, North Carolina, earned this distinction for his affinity for Chipotle. Shipley’s teammates started calling him “Shipotle” after noticing how often he dined on the restaurant’s offerings. Shipley then declared on Twitter, “I can promise you I love Chipotle more than anyone else in the world.” The restaurant chain has embraced Shipley, offering limited edition “Shipotle” T-shirts to the first 1,000 customers ordering any entrée at the Clemson restaurant. Shipley has been recognized for his charitable work and athletic prowess, making history as the first ACC player to earn first-team All-ACC honors at three positions. Clemson, ranked No. 23, is set to face No. 3 Florida State, hoping to maintain their seven-game winning streak in the series. (Keepfer, 2023)
9/17/2023 – In a recent article on The Clemson Insider, Gavin Oliver reports on a heated exchange between star running back Will Shipley and coach C.J. Spiller during Clemson’s game against Florida Atlantic. Shipley and Spiller had a disagreement on the sideline following a series of goal-line rushes. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney downplayed the incident, expressing confidence that it would be resolved. (Oliver, 2023)
9/4/2023 – Will Shipley was the lone bright spot on a dismal 7-28 Clemson loss to Duke. Shipley had 17 carries for 117 yards, 6 receptions for 26 yards, and one receiving touchdown. He averaged 6.7 yards per carry. Shipley also returned one kick for 22 yards. Shipley has now rushed for over 2,000 in his career.
1/4/2023 – Per an article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram published on January 3, 2023, a beaten and bruised Will Shipley met with the media following Clemson’s 31-14 loss to Tennessee in the Orange Bowl. He was asked why he is so willing to play as aggressively as he does, even hurdling defenders. Shipley said he does it for the guys around him. “I wouldn’t want to play for any other university,” Shipley said. “I love my brothers. That’s truly who I do it for.”
Shipley finished the season with an outstanding 1,182 rushing yards on 204 carries, with an additional 38 catches for 242 yards in the air. Also, Shipley impressively carried the rock across the goal line in all but three of 14 games for a total of 15 touchdowns.
2023 STATS
| Opponent | Score | Car | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke | L, 7-28 | 17 | 114 | 6.7 | 0 | 6 | 29 | 4.8 | 1 |
| Charleston So | W, 66-17 | 9 | 73 | 8.1 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 7.3 | 0 |
| FL Atlantic | W, 48-14 | 10 | 38 | 3.8 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 3.5 | 0 |
| Florida State | L (OT), 24-31 | 18 | 67 | 3.7 | 1 | 4 | 38 | 9.5 | 1 |
| Syracuse | W, 31-14 | 18 | 61 | 3.4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| Wake Forest | W, 17-12 | 19 | 97 | 5.1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 |
| Miami FL | L (2OT), 20-28 | 15 | 44 | 2.9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| NC State | L, 17-24 | 6 | 21 | 3.5 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 0 |
| Notre Dame | W, 31-23 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Georgia Tech | W, 42-21 | 11 | 77 | 7.0 | 1 | 3 | 30 | 10.0 | 0 |
| UNC | W, 31-20 | 18 | 126 | 7.0 | 1 | 2 | 53 | 26.5 | 0 |
| South Carolina | W, 16-7 | 15 | 80 | 5.3 | 0 | 4 | 32 | 8.0 | 0 |
| Kentucky | W, 38-35 | 11 | 29 | 2.6 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 0 |
| TOTALS | 167 | 827 | 5.0 | 5 | 31 | 244 | 7.9 | 2 |
2022 STATS
| Opponent | Score | Car | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Tech | W, 41-10 | 10 | 42 | 4.2 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 14.0 | 0 |
| Furman | W, 35-12 | 10 | 68 | 6.8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| LA Tech | W, 48-20 | 12 | 139 | 11.6 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 7.0 | 0 |
| Wake Forest | W (2OT), 51-45 | 20 | 104 | 5.2 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 5.0 | 0 |
| NC State | W, 30-20 | 14 | 60 | 4.3 | 0 | 3 | 37 | 12.3 | 0 |
| Boston College | W, 31-3 | 10 | 33 | 3.3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 |
| Florida State | W, 34-28 | 20 | 121 | 6.1 | 0 | 6 | 48 | 8.0 | 0 |
| Syracuse | W, 27-21 | 27 | 172 | 6.4 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 5.7 | 0 |
| Notre Dame | L, 14-35 | 12 | 63 | 5.2 | 1 | 5 | 17 | 3.4 | 0 |
| Louisville | W, 31-16 | 19 | 97 | 5.1 | 1 | 1 | -2 | -2.0 | 0 |
| Miami FL | W, 40-10 | 17 | 61 | 3.6 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 4.7 | 0 |
| South Carolina | L, 30-31 | 15 | 132 | 8.8 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 6.5 | 0 |
| UNC | W, 39-10 | 7 | 18 | 2.6 | 1 | 4 | 26 | 6.5 | 0 |
| Tennessee | L, 14-31 | 11 | 72 | 4.2 | 0 | 4 | 21 | 5.2 | 0 |
| TOTALS | 204 | 1182 | 5.8 | 15 | 38 | 242 | 6.4 | 0 |
2021 STATS
| Opponent | Score | Car | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | L, 3-10 | 4 | 7 | 1.8 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 0 |
| SC State | W, 49-3 | 8 | 80 | 10.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| Georgia Tech | W, 14-8 | 21 | 88 | 4.2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | 0 |
| NC State | L (2OT), 21-27 | 11 | 36 | 3.3 | 1 | 1 | -1 | -1.0 | 0 |
| Boston College | W, 19-13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Syracuse | W, 17-14 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Pittsburgh | L, 17-27 | 10 | 52 | 5.2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 |
| Florida State | W, 30-20 | 25 | 128 | 5.1 | 2 | 4 | 24 | 6.0 | 0 |
| Louisville | W, 30-24 | 14 | 47 | 3.4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| Connecticut | W, 44-7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Wake Forest | W, 48-27 | 19 | 111 | 5.8 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 18.0 | 0 |
| South Carolina | W, 30-0 | 19 | 128 | 6.7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| Iowa State | W, 20-13 | 18 | 61 | 3.4 | 1 | 5 | 53 | 10.6 | 0 |
| TOTALS | 149 | 738 | 5.0 | 11 | 16 | 116 | 7.3 | 0 |