You will have to excuse me as I step outside of my opponent preview articles and comfort zone as an amateur “ball knower” to put out my opinion as to why Clemson running back Phil Mafah will be a 1500-yard rusher this season for the Tigers.
The first question to ask would be, Why do you think that? That’s a great question to ask, especially to someone who really couldn’t tell you the difference between the A, B, or C gaps up until five years ago. That may be a slight exaggeration, but my point still stands. I am not an X’s and O’s type of fan. I leave that to people a lot smarter than me to figure out. I just enjoy the results, or lack thereof, of all of the plays on offense and defense, not why or how they worked.
After watching Phil Mafah have a great season, especially when Will Shipley went down with an injury, leaving Mafah and a lot of unproven guys behind him for the Notre Dame game, Mafah went for 186 yards on 36 carries and two touchdowns in a completely dominating fashion. It was in that game that I started to wonder why he was not given more touches the entirety of the season previously. Now, before you jump down my throat about Will Shipley, I know he was the starter, and deservedly so. The Swiss army knife-type running back did a lot of great things for the Tigers. But it just felt like Mafah put his head down, hit the holes, and ran over people when his number was called.
While the news has been out this week that Clemson has missed on yet another highly-touted offensive lineman in recruiting and now sits at 1 (commitments) for 6 (offers) going forward, I believe the offensive line will be significantly better with Coach Matt Luke now at the helm. I believe once Garrett Riley ditched his zone blocking scheme and decided to let his linemen just mash opposing lines, that’s where Mafah thrived. (See Notre Dame game.)
In sharing carries with Shipley for most of the 2023 season, Mafah averaged 5.6 yards per carry and actually led the team with 965 yards and 13 touchdowns. Now that there really is no proven backup, Mafah will be the workhorse for this offense in 2024. With health and another year to gel for the offensive line, there should be holes there for the 230-pound bruising back.
Now I know what you’re saying to yourself. Why 1500 yards? That’s a great question, and I think, during the talking season, it is a great goal to have for the uber-talented back that should be the one to stop for opponents.
Quarterback Cade Klubnik has a lot of questions surrounding him this season. Will he take a leap? Will he avoid more catastrophic mistakes? Will he be able to win games for his team on the strength of his arm?
All fair questions, and to avoid the moniker of sunshine pumper, I believe Klubnik will be better this year, but I believe it is going to be because of how dominant Phil Mafah is. The old “running game that will open up the passing game.” Not to get granular, but I believe there will also be an over-the-top target, and the tight ends will be a problem for opposing defenses this season as well. But that’s an article for another day.
Travis Etienne was the last Clemson Tiger to go over 1500 yards. Twice eclipsing it with plus 1600-yard seasons in 18 and 19. Granted, Etienne was more of a home run threat than Mafah is, but don’t sleep on the former’s open field speed.
If Mafah can stay healthy, he will break 1500 yards in 2024.
