Following the conclusion of Clemson’s first full week of fall camp, running back Kobe Pace spoke to the media on Aug. 12 and outlined the expectations for both himself and the rest of the team.
Specifically, Pace addressed measures he was taking to physically put himself in the best place for the season opener versus Georgia Tech.
“Yeah, I did cut some weight. I feel like move better with the weight that I lost,” Pace said. “I like playing at different weights. So, throughout the season, I may be 210, 205, 208, somewhere between there.”
Furthermore, Pace specified where he saw the most improvement in his performance whilst working in the offseason.
“Pass protection, I would say. I would just say reading the defense more, that’s all,” Pace said.
When asked about the chemistry of the running back room between himself, Will Shipley and Phil Mafah, Pace spoke candidly about the balance the group has between competition and maintaining a camaraderie where they all want each other to succeed.
“Yeah, I don’t think either one of us cares who runs out there first. We just want to succeed at the end of the day,” Pace said. “I don’t care who has the most carries or nothing. I’d rather see all my brothers in the room feast than me worrying about having the most carries.”
Pace expressed that both Mafah and Shipley have unique attributes they bring to the running back room, but he too possesses qualities that make him a force for the Tigers’ run game.
“We all bring something different, but at the same time, we all can do the same thing,” Pace said. “We can all run passionately and all run over you. We can make you miss in space. I feel like we all got the same things, but we bring it out at different times.”
Pace also spoke on the revitalized mentality of the Clemson offense ahead of this season after facing scrutiny from fans during the 2021 season.
“As a whole team, I feel like people sometimes didn’t believe in us just because we couldn’t put points on the board, but week to week, we still had a great season,” Pace said. “No one goes four and three, comes back, and wins 10 games.”
Pace concluded his talk with the press about the momentum of the running game at the end of last season and how he expects that momentum to carry over into this season.
“I feel like we’ve always had a good running game here at Clemson,” Pace said. “So, I feel like that’s just going to keep motivating us to do better and push each other.”
With a revitalized mentality on offense and versatility found in Clemson’s running game, the Tigers are looking to show off the work they put in during fall camp in their first game, when they face off against Georgia Tech on Sept. 5.