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Why Dabo Swinney is confident in Clemson football's running backs despite losing Phil Mafah
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- Why Dabo Swinney is confident in Clemson football's running backs despite losing Phil Mafah
CLEMSON — Clemson football is searching for a new No. 1 running back, but no clear winner emerged after Saturday's spring game.
Tigers coach Dabo Swinney sees this as a good problem.
"I know everybody's going to just question us all year, and I don't blame you," Swinney said Saturday. "They got to go prove it. We can't just talk about it. We got to go do it, but from practice (and) meetings, we're really encouraged from what we've seen."
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Running backs Adam Randall , Keith Adams Jr., David Eziomume and Gideon Davidson all had positive moments Saturday to enhance their case to fill the void left by last year starter's, Phil Mafah . Jay Haynes (torn ACL) and Jarvis Green (midfoot sprain) did not participate in the spring game because of injuries.
Eziomume led all running backs with 11 attempts for 69 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown. He showcased his hard-nosed running style, fighting for extra yards to extend drives. Swinney, who was mic'd up, pointed out Eziomume's ball security, though, telling him, "Don't swim with the ball. Hold that tight."
Randall, who transitioned from wide receiver to running back this offseason, started with the first-team offense to record one rushing attempt for one yard. Still, he recorded a 23-yard catch on a screen pass in the final two minutes of the first half to help set up a field-goal attempt. He is the veteran of the group even though he has the least experience at the position.
"I thought Eziomume had a really good day," Swinney said. "He's stacking days. He's had a couple really good days. Adam Randall has been awesome all spring. He's been really good, so I'm really pleased with him."
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Adams, nicknamed "Hammerhead," rushed seven times for 47 yards. He was listed as an "or" starter with Haynes throughout last season, but Haynes received more playing time. Adams has said one of his goals for 2025 is to be featured more, and Swinney said Saturday he will have a role if he "buys in" to what Clemson wants him to do.
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Davidson, a 2025 signee, rushed for 31 yards on nine carries and caught four passes for 43 yards. He made two tough grabs with the third-team offense. Freshman quarterback Chris Denson found him for 31 yards on a wheel route, then Davidson made a diving back-shoulder catch for nine yards later in the possession.
Swinney has touted Davidson as a "natural" through spring practices, and he displayed what's in his repertoire Saturday. Peyton Streko, who walked on in 2023 over scholarship offers from several FBS programs, scored a rushing touchdown too.
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"Gideon and all those guys have flashed all spring," Randall said. "We've had a really good spring in the running-back room, and I've been incredibly grateful for those guys to bring me in."
The offense also featured split-backfield sets — two running backs in the backfield with the quarterback. This was the first time Clemson has used this set since Mafah and Will Shipley both commanded the running back room in 2023.
The set could be a sign that Clemson will use multiple running backs in 2025. Last season, Mafah received the lion's share of the snaps despite playing through a torn shoulder labrum that he suffered against App State in Week 2. The injury got worse as the season continued, but Clemson relied on him.
With no clear No. 1 running back emerging this spring, Clemson could use multiple backs depending on situation and need in 2025. If it ends up this way, Swinney is confident in his players.
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"It's a deep group, and I think when it's all said and done, it'll be a very productive group for us throughout the season," Swinney said.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football: How Tigers running backs performed in spring game
