Clemson's Phil Mafah won't 'get in your grits' like Will Shipley but 'chill' approach works

CLEMSON - Phil Mafah's 2023 season with Clemson football started with a critical mistake, one that has been talked about nearly every week since: He fumbled inside the 5-yard-line.

It was one of several gaffes by Clemson in its shocking 28-7 loss to Duke in Week 1. The Blue Devils recovered Mafah's fumble and returned it to the Clemson 35-yard-line, setting up a touchdown and two-point conversion that put Duke ahead by two touchdowns.

Clemson (5-4, 2-4 ACC) has lost three more games and lost the second-most fumbles (11) in the country, a statistic that has defined the Tigers' strange, disappointing season.

But Mafah's season hasn't been defined by that fumble, and after a career day against Notre Dame (186 yards rushing, two touchdowns), he is Clemson's leading rusher with 625 yards and eight touchdowns on 109 carries. He hasn't been without turnovers — he fumbled twice vs. Notre Dame, recovering one — but he's been able to move on from the mistakes.

He stepped up when the Tigers needed him most with starting back Will Shipley injured. Even with Shipley expected to return when the Tigers play Georgia Tech (5-4, 4-2) on Saturday (noon ET, ABC), he might see his carries increase.

To those who know him, Mafah's ability to recover from bad plays or games is no surprise. He's a calm, positive person whether he's playing or not.

"To see him not be bothered by it, to move on and go to the next," Shipley said in September, "it just kind of embodies who he is as a person and as a football player."

'The Mayor' of Grayson, Georgia

Mafah was born in Grayson, Georgia, where his parents moved after spending time around the U.S. following their move from Ivory Coast. He gave soccer, the more popular sport in his parents' home, a try, but he preferred the other football. He played some lineman and linebacker early before settling in at running back in high school.

By the time coach Adam Carter took over at Grayson in 2019, Mafah was a rising junior and a standout running back. Carter was struck by Mafah's physical ability, including his 6-foot, 220-pound frame. His fondest memories of Mafah, though, are more about his personality.

"They literally call him 'The mayor,'" said Carter, now coach at Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia. "He's always in the community. He'll be at those youth league games all the time when he's in town. He's got that 'it' factor, and people just gravitate toward him."

Mafah describes himself as "chill," and Carter said he's always been that way.

"A lot of (kids) that I've dealt with, they struggle with that emotional stability. They're just so up and down all the time," Carter said. "Phil was our constant. He was never too high, was never too low. You knew what you were going to have out of him every day."

How Will Shipley, Phil Mafah work together

Clemson football had its "Thunder and Lightning" era when James Davis and CJ Spiller were a dynamic running back duo for the Tigers in the late 2000s. Before this season, with Davis and Spiller both on Clemson's staff, the hope was that the Tigers had the second coming of Thunder and Lightning in Shipley and Mafah.

Mafah and Shipley might be more like "Fire and Ice." Shipley is the mercurial, high-energy side, hyping up teammates and demanding the best from them, sometimes loudly. Mafah is cool, calm and collected. Spiller called Mafah the "caring uncle" of the team, especially among Clemson's running backs.

"I'm a bit more chill," Mafah said in August. "Will, he's chill, too, but he'll get in your grits for sure if you need to do something right. ... We try to bring that encouragement and just help (teammates) in any opportunity that we can."

Shipley is the headliner of Clemson's running back group: He ran for more than 1,100 yards on 210 carries as a sophomore last season on his way to a first-team All-ACC selection.

Mafah got his opportunities too, but fewer: He had 515 yards on half as many attempts per game as Shipley last season. He briefly considered transferring somewhere he could be the No. 1 back, but he chose to stay at Clemson.

This season, though, Mafah's role has increased. Before the Notre Dame game, he was averaging about five fewer carries than Shipley as opposed to last year's seven and had more yards per attempt.

Clemson's run game has struggled at times and hasn't been as a reliable as it was last year. Mafah's big game was a relief, and it could mean he gets more opportunity with Shipley back this weekend.

"Anytime you have multiple good players, somebody gets the hot hand," Swinney said Tuesday. "Obviously Phil got hot last week. We want to make sure he has the best chance to stay hot."

Christina Long covers the Clemson Tigers for the Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. You can follow her on Twitter @christinalong00 or email her at clong@greenvillenews.com.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football: Phil Mafah, Will Shipley have different approaches