The Clemson Tigers have been doing extremely well and junior running back Will Shipley has been one of the brightest stars of the team. He has been one of the top players throughout the season but in the fourth quarter of the Taxslayer Gator Bowl, Shipley suffered a terrible leg injury.
During a kickoff in the fourth quarter, Shipley was returning the kick and got the ball across midfield into Kentucky territory before being pushed out of bounds. He rolled on the sideline and awkwardly landed and went down before medical staff helped him to the sidelines to evaluate his injury. Later, Will Shipley was seen getting carted to the locker room.
After the game, he was seen hugging teammates on the field while being on crutches.
Will Shipley on crutches hugging his teammates after their win in the @taxslayerbowl @All_Clemson pic.twitter.com/D4YrdWGIMV
— Zach Lentz (@Zach_AllClemson) December 29, 2023
Shipley did not have much results during the Clemson victory over Kentucky as he finished the game with 11 rushing attempts for 29 yards (2.6 yards per carry) as well as two receptions for nine yards (4.5 yards per catch). His biggest performance was two kickoff returns for 60 yards.
What will Will Shipley do regarding the 2024 season?
Will Shipley has a massive decision to make in regard to his future: return to the Clemson Tigers for his senior season or forego his eligibility and declare for the 2024 NFL draft. A big factor into the decision could be the extent of the injury but the fact he was seen on crutches celebrating with teammates tends to lean towards not a serious leg injury that can keep him out for next season.
Shipley has been a force this season and throughout his three seasons of college football with the Clemson Tigers. He has 515 rushing attempts for 2,719 yards (5.3 yards per carry) with 31 rushing touchdowns. However, he also is an excellent pass-catching back with 83 catches for 593 yards (7.1 yards per reception) with two touchdown receptions.
In a class where he is going to be in the latter half of the top 10 running backs, many people are expecting him to be a third-round draft pick. While he can get his draft status up with another monster season with Clemson, the shelf life of a running back is limited so entering the NFL draft may be the smarter decision for his future.
As of this writing, Shipley has not indicated one way or another what his future plans will be.
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