Clemson’s backfield has a simple mandate this fall: get the run game back to being a weapon.
That was not the case last season. The Tigers averaged just 3.7 yards per carry, a number that landed them outside the top 100 nationally. With Chad Morris in his first season as offensive coordinator, the expectation is clear - the ground game has to do more.
The good news for Clemson is that the room is loaded with options, even if the pecking order is still taking shape. The most established name is Davidson, who made his presence felt in the second half of last season while working behind Adam Randall. He didn’t score a touchdown as a freshman, but he still finished with 260 yards on 60 carries, good for a 4.3-yard average.
The Lynchburg, Va., native has already flashed what he can bring in a bigger role. In the spring game, Davidson was one of Clemson’s most productive offensive players, piling up 80 yards on just nine carries. That was the first real look fans got at him in his second season wearing the Paw, and it only added to the sense that his workload is about to grow.
His high school résumé backs that up, too. Davidson averaged 11 yards per carry in high school and came in as a consensus four-star recruit across most recruiting databases. Matching that kind of production at Clemson is a different challenge entirely, but the expectation is that his numbers will keep climbing in 2026.
Haynes is another name firmly in the mix. In 2024, when Phil Mafah was the lead back, he gave the Tigers a useful complement as a redshirt freshman. Then came the knee injury in the ACC Championship against SMU, which wiped out his entire last season.
That was a rough break for the Roanoke, Va., native, especially with a larger role expected after Mafah’s departure from the picture. Still, Haynes is back now, and he brings value as both a runner and a pass-catcher.
He finished 2024 with more than 300 total yards and three rushing touchdowns, and if he’s fully healthy, that total should rise in 2026. Even so, he’ll have to fight for touches in a crowded room.
And that’s the theme here: Clemson may not have a single back who owns the job, but there are plenty of players capable of carving out a role.
Chris Johnson Jr. is the transfer who could change the feel of the room. The SMU transfer brings pure speed, and that kind of burst is something Clemson hasn’t really had in a while. A former track sprinter at Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., he offers a different gear than the Tigers have been working with.
Behind him, David Eziomume and Jarvis Green are both in position to contribute. Eziomume has logged scattered snaps over his first two seasons and has a chance to take a step forward if he starts fast. Green, meanwhile, missed all of last season because of injury.
The same injury note applies to Haynes, but Green has already shown he can deliver in a huge moment. The Irmo, S.C., native caught his first career touchdown against Texas in the College Football Playoff in 2024.
So the picture is clear enough: C.J. Spiller’s running back room has depth, and Clemson should be able to lean on it. What still needs to be sorted out is which two backs separate themselves as the top options, especially with the schedule the Tigers are facing.
That answer isn’t obvious yet, and there isn’t much to go on in the summer. But Dabo Swinney appears to have enough talent in the backfield to make it matter in 2026.
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DeAndre Hopkins Rumor Could Boost Clemsons NFL Footprint In A Big Way
DeAndre Hopkins is back in the free-agent conversation, and for Clemson fans the interest goes beyond where the veteran wideout lands next. The former Tigers star is still chasing a Super Bowl ring in 2026, and his next stop will say plenty about how teams view him at this stage of his career, when he is openly embracing more of a utility, third-down role than the every-down centerpiece he once was.
Buffalo has emerged as a logical place to watch, which would only deepen Clemsons footprint in one of the leagues most visible contenders. If Hopkins ends up there, he would join a growing Tigers presence in the Bills locker room, adding another familiar name to a roster that has already become a notable landing spot for Clemson talent. The fit makes sense on paper, but the bigger question is whether Hopkins will choose a contender that can still give him the chance to matter in the moments he values most. [Read more 🡒]
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Clemsons quarterback picture for 2026 is already drawing attention, and for good reason. With Cade Klubniks successor set to be decided between Vizzina and freshman Reynolds, the Tigers are looking at a competition that feels more open than expected this early in the process. Vizzina brings the edge of being next in line, but he still has limited starting experience, while Reynolds turned heads in spring practice even as he worked back from injury.
Dabo Swinney has made it clear that the job will not be handed out on reputation alone, stressing the need for Vizzina to bring it every day. Clemson is also taking a broader look at the room, with other quarterbacks in the mix as possible backups, which adds another layer to a battle that could stretch well beyond the spring. For a program that has leaned on stability at the position, the next few months will say a lot about how settled this offense really is. [Read more 🡒]
These Clemson Position Groups Give Dabo His Best Shot To Rebound
Clemson heads into 2026 with a lot to sort out after a 7-6 finish and the loss of 14 starters, but there are still a few spots on the roster that look built to carry real weight. The Tigers kept Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore in the fold, giving Chad Morris a promising starting point as he settles in as offensive coordinator, and the backfield also has enough talent to ease some of the pressure on a reworked offense.
On the other side of the ball, the edge group gives Clemson another place to feel better about its ceiling, especially with the kind of help that has arrived through the portal and from returning players. With so much turnover around those core pieces, the bigger question is whether Clemson can turn a handful of strong position groups into the kind of depth and consistency needed for a true rebound. [Read more 🡒]