When talking about Clemson players to watch this season one that should be at the top of that list is Phil Mafah. Last season he had to share the starting running back position with Will Shipley. During that time though, the 6’1 230 pound running back from Georgia showed he’s ready to carry the load as the lone starter. Now with Shipley gone to the NFL, Mafah gets his chance to be the featured back. It took four years for him to become the lone starting running back, but it could be worth the wait. His progress from 2021 to last season’s Gator Bowl should have prepared him for the moment.
Slow Climb
Mafah committed to Clemson as a top 300 recruit in the 2021 class. He was supposed to redshirt for that season but had to be relied upon as the running back room became thin. In his freshman season, he carried the ball 68 times for 292 yards and three touchdowns. Meanwhile, the other freshman running back Shipley had the most carries on the team with 149 for 738 yards and 11 touchdowns.
In 2022 though he was still a rotational piece at running back, he became a more integral part of the offense. Mafah had the second most carries among running backs that season, after Shipley again, with 98 carries for 515 yards and four touchdowns. He had a great game against Louisville that year rushing 10 times for 106 yards and a 39-yard touchdown run. Those 10 carries were the fewest by a 100-yard rusher at Clemson since Travis Etienne in the 2020 ACC Championship game. That was just the start of Mafah becoming one of the Tiger’s most exciting players.
Breakout 2023
After two solid seasons as a rotation back, in 2023 Mafah was named co-starter at running back alongside Shipley. Up to this point, Shipley had been the guy at running back for the Tigers. He was their leading rusher in the two previous seasons. Going into 2023 though, the Clemson staff made it a point to make sure everyone knew that both Shipley and Mafah were the starters. To start the season the amount of carries between the two juniors was about even with Shipley typically getting just a few more touches per game.
After Shipley suffered some mid-season injuries though, Mafah got his chance to prove he can carry the load. Both running backs eclipsed the 800-yard mark by the end of the season. This made them the fifth Clemson duo to accomplish this, the first since CJ Spiller and James Davis. Mafah though finished last season as the Tiger’s leading rusher for the first time. He had 179 rushes for 965 yards and 13 touchdowns. Mafah also had a 20+ yard run in eight games.
His best work though was done in two games. The first was the Tiger’s game against Notre Dame. In that game, Mafah ran the ball a Clemson program record-tying 36 times. With those 36 rushes Mafah gained 186 yards and scored two touchdowns. That game started the five-game season-ending win streak the Tigers went on. In the bowl game against Kentucky, Mafah rushed 11 times for 72 yards and four touchdowns. His four touchdowns set a new Clemson bowl game and Gator Bowl record.
Expectations as the Featured Back
That bowl performance is a big part of why there are such high expectations for Mafah and the Tigers this season. When asked at ACC media days about the performance and carrying it into this season Mafah responded “Definitely makes me look forward to the season, not only just individually but as a team just seeing the way that we finished it definitely gave us a lot of confidence.”
Clemson is going to need every bit of that confidence going into week one. The Tigers start the 2024 season with their toughest opponent the Georgia Bulldogs. If the Tigers, especially Mafah, can play how they did to end last season, they will have a chance to pull off the upset.
For Clemons to achieve the success they want to have this season, Mafah will have to perform at a high level. Mafah seems to be ready for the moment though. At the ACC media days, Mafah said when it comes to his mindset now being the main back “Really nothing has changed in my mindset.” He sounds like he already knows the task and what he needs to do to complete it. That is why there is a big season coming for Mafah.
