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3 Greatest Running Backs in Clemson History

By Jason Schandl

The greatest Clemson running backs of all time include current Tiger Travis Etienne.
The greatest Clemson running backs of all time include current Tiger Travis Etienne. / Tom Pennington/Getty Images
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The Clemson Tigers have made it to four of the last five College Football National Championship games, bringing a new level of glory to a team that hadn't won 10 games in a season between 1991 and 2011. Since Clemson hasn't always been a football powerhouse, many of the best players in the history of the program have popped up in recent seasons, like quarterback Deshaun Watson and wide receiver Sammy Watkins.

Does that trend hold up with running backs as well? Let's take a look at the three greatest running backs in Clemson history.

3. Raymond Priester (1994-1997)

Raymond Priester holds the Clemson record for must rush attempts of all time with 805.
Raymond Priester holds the Clemson record for must rush attempts of all time with 805. / Grant Halverson/Getty Images

Raymond Priester was the least efficient rusher among the backs on this list, but he embodied everything you want in a true work horse running back. At the time of his graduation, Priester was the program's all-time leading rusher with 3,966 yards — a mark that is still good for second to date. He hit that mark on a whopping 805 rush attempts — 52 more than any other Tiger has ever seen. He added 45 receptions and 441 receiving yards as well, making him one of only five Clemson players to eclipse 4,000 yards from scrimmage while remaining the program leader with 850 touches.

2. Travis Etienne (2017-Present)

Travis Etienne during the 2019 National Championship game against LSU.
Travis Etienne during the 2019 National Championship game against LSU. / Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Travis Etienne has already shattered records in the Clemson backfield, and he'll be back for the 2020 season as well. Through three seasons he's already broken Priester's all-time rushing record, with 4,038 yards. The most impressive part, however, is that he's hit that mark on just 518 carries. His ridiculous 7.8 rushing yards per attempt are the most for any Clemson player with even 60 career rushes. His 62 total touchdowns are also already 10 more than the second-best mark. Even if he takes a step back in 2020, Etienne has already solidified himself in the Tigers' record book.

1. C.J. Spiller (2006-2009)

C.J. Spiller during his NFL tenure with the Chiefs.
C.J. Spiller during his NFL tenure with the Chiefs. / Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Fourth in school history in rushing yards (3,547) and 18th in receiving yards (1,420), C.J. Spiller gained a program-record 4,967 yards from scrimmage in his four years as a Tiger. He scored at least 10 touchdowns in three of his four years, and overall he averaged 6.8 yards per touch — 5.9 per carry and 11.5 per reception. Spiller may not have had the volume of Priester or the insane efficiency of Etienne, but he combined strong showings in both of those areas to come closer to 5,000 career yards than anyone else in Clemson history. If Etienne comes up with another big year in 2020, however, he could easily hit that 5k mark and unseat Spiller.

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Jason Schandl is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Jason Schandl also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username Jaymun. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.