Running backs look to catch the eye of Swinney in spring game

David Eziomume will get his chance to shine in the spring game.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Fri Apr 05 12:30:08 GMT-04:00 2024

CLEMSON – There is Phil Mafah, and then there is…who? We are about to find out.

There is no question that Mafah is the star and starter at running back for the Tigers, and with the departure of Will Shipley, the younger players have an opportunity to earn playing time behind Mafah. The competition has been fierce this spring, and fans will get a chance to take a look at the competition on Saturday.

Clemson’s annual spring game is set for Saturday at 1 pm (ACCNX) in Death Valley, and head coach Dabo Swinney was asked about the competition this week.

“I think we all know who Mafah is, so I don't think there's anything there that I really need to see,” Swinney said. “But it's exciting. I hate it for Jay Haynes (out, hamstring injury) because he's a guy that I really think is going to have a great opportunity to help us. But man, it's fun. This is a great opportunity for Jarvis (Green), for Keith Adams for Easy E (David Eziomume), too. These are great opportunities. You got some young walk-on guys like (Kevin) McNeal and (Tristen) Rigby that don't get to play much but get an opportunity to maybe get in there. And so, it's big.”

Swinney said that Adams has had a terrific spring, and there is the beginning of a pecking order.

“Haynes, I can't really put him in the mix yet. I mean I know what we've seen in camp and what we saw early part of the season and then he had the ankle sprain and the hamstring and then the recurrence,” Swinney said. “It's hard to put him in there, but of the guys that have been out there, man, Keith Adams has really taken a big step forward this spring. I'm really proud of him. He's different. I mean, he's a different guy, and he's hard to tackle. He's faster than you think. He's a little more athletic than you think, but you better have your big boy pads on when you come to tackle him. I didn't get to coach his dad, but I would say he probably plays running back the way his dad played linebacker. I mean that's just kind of how, that's the best way I can describe this kid.

“He's just hard to tackle, and his confidence has grown this spring, and when a guy starts to figure it out, they just play faster, and they play with more confidence, and you just see it. And I just think his knowledge of the game and as his confidence has grown, his talent has shown through. So, I think he's done a great job. Jarvis has taken full advantage of his opportunity as well. And I've said this many times about that kid. He's a very natural runner, and there's really nothing he doesn't do well. He's just natural at everything he does. And then Easy E (Eziomume) I think it was really, really fast early. A lot. But the pace of spring is good for a guy like him. It's not like every day in fall camp when all of a sudden you just about day eight, you just are overwhelmed. But it'll be a good opportunity for these guys to finish the spring well and take hopefully some confidence and momentum into the summer.”