Just as Clemson appears to have found something in its running game, the Tigers have one fewer option in the backfield.
Dabo Swinney confirmed Sunday that running back David Eziomume will likely miss the remainder of the season after suffering an injury Friday night at Cal on special teams.
Eziomume's loss isn't significant because Clemson has to replace a large amount of production. Through four games, he had carried the ball only once, scoring on an 11-yard run.
It's significant because of what Clemson's running back room now looks like behind Gideon Davidson.
Davidson has clearly emerged as the Tigers' lead back, and the sophomore is coming off the best performance of his young career. He rushed 22 times for 159 yards and two touchdowns in Clemson's 24-10 win at Cal, including a 75-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
That came one week after Davidson topped the 100-yard mark against North Carolina.
Through four games, Davidson has carried 59 times for 346 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 5.9 yards per attempt. He has 264 rushing yards over Clemson's last two games.
Swinney’s Tigers may finally be developing the kind of running game they envisioned entering the season after bringing Chad Morris back to run the offense.
“We were able to run the football the way we envisioned running,” Swinney said Sunday. “And that's two weeks in a row — the last eight minutes of the last game, and in this game — being able to run the ball. That's a great sign.”
Clemson rushed for more than 250 yards against Cal, and Swinney was particularly encouraged by the Tigers' ability to run when the Bears knew what was coming.
“It's a lot harder to get the run game going than the pass game, I can assure you,” Swinney said. “So the mentality that I see is encouraging.”
But the emergence of Davidson and Clemson's running game makes the depth behind him increasingly important.
Jay Haynes has yet to return after suffering a serious knee injury on a kickoff return in the 2024 ACC Championship Game against SMU. Now Eziomume is out for the season.
That leaves Jarvis Green and Chris Johnson Jr. as Clemson's primary options behind Davidson.
Green shouldn't be overlooked.
The former Dutch Fork standout has only 18 carries through four games, but he's turned them into 74 yards, averaging 4.1 yards per attempt.
The numbers aren't overwhelming, but Green has looked like a viable option when Clemson has turned to him. He's a tough, powerful runner who has shown plenty of leg drive, fighting through contact and picking up difficult yards.
It's also worth remembering how little football Green had played before this season. He missed all of 2025 after suffering a foot injury during fall camp and entered this year with only 12 career rushing attempts.
Now healthy, Green is beginning to establish himself as someone Clemson can turn to behind Davidson.
Johnson presents a different option.
The senior transfer has also averaged 4.1 yards per carry, gaining 69 yards on 17 attempts. Seven of those carries and 53 of those yards came against Georgia Southern, meaning Clemson hasn't consistently featured Johnson in the running game.
His college résumé suggests there's more available if Morris decides to expand his role.
Johnson rushed 67 times for 479 yards and four touchdowns at SMU last season, averaging 7.1 yards per carry. He also caught 17 passes for 180 yards and a touchdown.
Clemson saw that ability firsthand last season.
So far at Clemson, some of his biggest contributions have instead come on special teams. His speed has given the Tigers another weapon in the kickoff return game, including four returns for 87 yards against North Carolina.
That versatility could give Morris opportunities to get Johnson involved without simply taking carries away from Davidson.
For now, Clemson doesn't have a running-back controversy or even necessarily a running-back problem.
Davidson has earned the lead role.
Swinney said Sunday that the sophomore is “kind of growing before our eyes,” and Clemson has increasingly put the offense on his shoulders over the past two weeks.
But there is a difference between having a lead back and having enough depth behind him to withstand a long season.
Eziomume offered Clemson another option. His role had been small through four games, but losing him removes another player from a room already operating without Haynes.
That puts more importance on Green and Johnson.
Green has begun to show he can provide the physical, tough yards Clemson wants from its running game. Johnson has the speed, versatility and previous college production to suggest Clemson could find additional ways to use him.
Neither has been asked to handle anything close to Davidson's workload.
Until now, Clemson hasn't necessarily needed them to.
With No. 4 Miami coming to Death Valley on Saturday night, Clemson will find out whether the running game that carried the offense at Cal can continue against a much different challenge.
Eziomume's injury doesn't change who leads Clemson's backfield. That's unquestionably Davidson.
It does make the players behind him more important.
As Clemson tries to build on the running game it finally appears to have found, Green and Johnson may be asked to do more.
— Swanny
