Clemson's Will Shipley pulls off trick play designed for ex-Tigers RB Travis Etienne
While taking satisfying credit for a trick play used in Saturday's 48-27 win against Wake Forest, Clemson coaches also apologized.
They did so to Tigers running back Travis Etienne, a first-round NFL draft pick earlier this year by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The play certainly looked familiar to Etienne. It was designed for him.
“Travis Etienne is going to be pretty upset,” Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said. “That was his play.”
“Somewhere,” Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney said, “Travis Etienne is not happy with me right now.”
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Clemson had third-and-goal from the 3-yard line and brought in the so-called jumbo package, including defensive linemen, to block for running back Will Shipley on a direct snap. Shipley instead took a few steps toward the line of scrimmage, jumped up (so he could see) and threw a touchdown to tight end Davis Allen. When that play was initially drawn up by Swinney and put into practice scripts, it was for Etienne.
“We’ve had that play in for five years,” Swinney said. “It’s even called Bayou for where Travis is from, the bayou (in Louisiana). Just never had the right opportunity to call it. Today was the day.”
Clemson, up 10-3 in the second quarter, had first-and-goal at the 1 and was actually pushed back on the next two snaps. Swinney called for the play that is called Bayou and perhaps should be renamed Jump Ship.
“I give credit where credit is due,” Elliott said. “The heavy boys package has been Coach Swinney’s package for several years. Coach was like, ‘Hey, if we get into this certain situation in the game, … that’s what I want to go with.’ We had been practicing it. We were ready and the guys executed it well.
“Shipley came in (this season as a freshman) and showed he could execute it. I’m happy for Shipley.”
“What a play,” Swinney said. “Shipley just kind of gets it up there, kind of a pop-pass jum ball. It was a great play and a great finish.”
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson's Will Shipley executed trick play designed for Travis Etienne
