C.J. Spiller

• Named as Clemson’s running backs coach on Feb. 5, 2021.

• Served as an unpaid coaching intern during the 2020 season

• In 2023, helped both Phil Mafah (965) and Will Shipley (827) exceed 800 rushing yards, marking only the ninth time since 1948 that Clemson has produced multiple 750-yard rushers. It marked the first time two Clemson running backs accomplished the feat since 2006, when Spiller himself was part of such a duo with James Davis.

• Clemson was one of only six schools in 2023 with multiple 800-yard rushers, and Clemson was one of only four to accomplish the feat with multiple running backs rather than one running back and one quarterback.

• In 2022, guided Shipley as he became the first player in ACC history to earn first-team all-conference honors at three different positions (running back, all-purpose and specialist) and be named as one of four finalists for the Paul Hornung Award, given annually to the nation’s most versatile player.

• With 15 rushing touchdowns as a sophomore, Shipley joined Clemson’s Travis Etienne, Louisville’s Lamar Jackson and North Carolina’s Giovani Bernard as the only ACC players since 2000 to rush for at least 11 touchdowns in both their freshman and sophomore seasons.

• Also mentored Shipley as the second-year back became Clemson’s first Academic All-American since 2012.

• In his first season in an on-field role in 2021, he had two different rushers (Shipley and Kobe Pace) reach 500 rushing yards, giving Clemson multiple 500-yard rushers for the sixth time in a seven-year span.

• Shipley led Clemson in rushing touchdowns (11), total touchdowns (11), rushing attempts (149) and rushing yards (739) in 2021, becoming the first Clemson player other than Travis Etienne or Wayne Gallman to lead Clemson in rushing since 2013 (Rod McDowell) when Shipley was in fifth grade.

• Shipley’s 11 rushing touchdowns passed Spiller (11 in 2006) for the second-most by a Clemson true freshman since 1972 and finished two shy of the Clemson true freshman record (Travis Etienne, 13 in 2017).

• In 2020, assisted the Tiger coaching staff that helped Travis Etienne become a consensus All-American as an all-purpose/athlete selection, becoming the 29th player ever to earn consensus All-America honors at Clemson and the school’s 31st total consensus selection. Spiller and Etienne comprise two of Clemson’s three all-time consensus All-Americans at the running back position.

• While on staff in an unpaid role, watched Etienne break Clemson single-season records for a running back in receptions (48) and receiving yards (588) and tie the running back mark for 100-yard receiving games (two) while adding two receiving touchdowns. Etienne joined Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey, Oklahoma’s Joe Mixon and Penn State’s Saquon Barkley as the only Power Five players to post 900 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in a single season since 2015.

• Stands as one of the most decorated and beloved players in Clemson history from his four-year career as a running back for the Tigers from 2006-09.

• Was selected for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2021, earning the distinction in only his second year of eligibility.

• Became Clemson’s eighth inductee in the College Football Hall of Fame, joining four coaches (John Heisman, Jess Neely, Frank Howard and Danny Ford) and three players (Banks McFadden, Terry Kinard and Jeff Davis). At the time of his selection, Spiller became one of only 1,038 players and 223 coaches immortalized in the Hall, putting him at the time in the top 0.02 percent of those who have played or coached the sport.

• Inducted into both the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame and South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame in 2020 for his immense contribution to athletics at both the university and state levels.

• His historic college career culminated with a senior season in 2009 in which he finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting after winning ACC Player of the Year and being selected as a unanimous first-team All-American. He became the first player in the history of the Walter Camp All-America team to be first or second-team All-American at two positions in the same year.

• Still holds ACC single-season and career records for all-purpose yards, posting 2,680 in 2009 and finishing his career with 7,588, which was second-most in FBS history at the time of his graduation.

• Recorded 21 career touchdowns covering at least 50 yards and had an ACC-record eight kick returns for touchdowns in his career.

• Was also a three-time All-American in track and first-team strength All-American in 2008.

• Entered the coaching ranks after an eight-year NFL career from 2010-17 after being the ninth overall selection in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills.

• His NFL career included tenures with the Bills, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs, and he was a Pro Bowl selection in 2012. He and college teammate Jacoby Ford remain the only Clemson products ever to record multiple rushing touchdowns, multiple receiving touchdowns and multiple kick return touchdowns during an NFL career.

• Graduated from Clemson with a degree in sociology in three-and-a-half years on Dec. 17, 2009, receiving a standing ovation from the Clemson University Board of Trustees, the first such occurrence for a student-athlete.