Swinney on One RB behind Mafah: ‘He’s Just Different’ - Clemson’s Head Coach Discusses Running Back Group

Phil Mafah enters the upcoming season as Clemson’s unquestioned bell cow running back, but behind him, nothing is set in stone right now.

The competition at the position behind Mafah is still ongoing and the depth chart has yet to fully be settled, though Keith Adams Jr. came out of the spring as the backup, and the redshirt sophomore has continued to impress in fall camp.

Head coach Dabo Swinney spoke highly of Adams following the Tigers’ first scrimmage of preseason camp this past Saturday.

“Keith had a big, huge touchdown run today. Broke a tackle in the open field,” Swinney said.

“He kind of does what he does,” Swinney added. “He’s a big, strong, physical kid. He’s just different than all those other guys.”

Others in the fold at running back include redshirt freshmen Jarvis Green and Jay Haynes, as well as true freshman David Eziomume.

Swinney said Saturday that Green was held out of the scrimmage due to injury and was still day-to-day. As for Haynes and Eziomume, Swinney said “they’ve made big strides” ahead of the 2024 season.

“So, it’s a lot of fun. It’s a fun group. It’s a good situation,” Swinney said. “Hopefully if the good Lord will bless us and we keep Mafah healthy, we’re going to have a good situation to be able to really develop those guys into what we think they can be. But they’ll add a lot to us.”

Swinney is pleased with where the group is and who the Tigers have to work with at running back.

“Again, it’s a group – they’re all really doing their thing right now,” he said. “They’re making mistakes, too, but I like what I see from those three guys that are getting those reps (behind Mafah). So, it’s turning into a pretty good little group.”

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