Clemson tight-lipped as it awaits word on severity of injuries to Shipley, Skalski and Bresee

Greenville News

RALEIGH, N.C. -- It could get worse for Clemson.

The Tigers, who dropped to 2-2 with Saturday night’s 27-21 two-overtime loss to N.C. State at Carter-Finley Stadium, might be without three key players because of injuries.

Freshman Will Shipley, who had established himself as the Tigers’ best running back, was attended to by the team’s medical staff after a hard hit in the first overtime. He was helped to the sideline and did not return to the game.

"It was his knee," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. "But I don't know the diagnosis."

If Shipley doesn't play in another game, he would qualify for a redshirt season and would be a freshman again next year.

Clemson running back Will Shipley (1) holds his injured knee during the fourth quarter at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C., September 25, 2021. The Tigers lost 27-21 in two overtimes game at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C., September 25, 2021.

Sixth-year linebacker James Skalski, team captain and senior leader of the defense, suffered a shoulder injury in the first quarter. Defensive lineman Bryan Bresee, who was ACC freshman of the year last season, went down with a knee injury early in the second half.

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In his postgame comments, Swinney said he did not have any information to share.

The Tigers’ running backs group, once considered a strong point of the team even after Travis Etienne went in the first round of the NFL draft, is now thinned out. Senior Lyn-J Dixon, after being passed by Shipley and sophomore Kobe Pace, announced earlier in the week that he was going into the transfer portal.

Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee (11) knee hits the knee of NC State offensive lineman Grant Gibson (50) during the third quarter at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C., September 25, 2021. Bresee was injured on the play.

During the offseason, Tigers lost two running backs to the portal. Chez Mellusi ended up at Wisconsin and Demarkus Bowman at Florida. If Shipley is out, the Tigers are down to Pace, Michel Dukes and Darien Rencher. Swinney has said the Tigers hope to redshirt freshman Phil Mafah.

“We’ve got what we’ve got,” Swinney said. “We can’t go sign free agents right now. That’s what we’ve got. Hopefully, (Shipley’s injury) is not something that is going to have him out for any amount of time. But if it is, we'll go back to work if it has to be Kobe and Rench and Dukes and Mafah. This obviously changed things for him.”