Clemson RB Will Shipley has heated exchange with coach C.J. Spiller. Dabo reacts

A viral moment between Clemson football running back Will Shipley and his position coach didn’t set off any alarms for coach Dabo Swinney.

Speaking after Clemson’s 48-14 win over Florida Atlantic on Saturday, Swinney said he wasn’t aware of a heated second-quarter exchange between Shipley and running backs coach C.J. Spiller that made the rounds on social media midgame.

But he wasn’t concerned.

“They got into each other?” Swinney said. “Oh boy. I don’t know, I’ll find out. I’m sure they’ll be fine. Coach Spiller, he can handle it. I promise you. Don’t worry about him.”

The midgame exchange between Shipley and Spiller – first highlighted by the ACC Network team broadcasting Saturday’s game from Memorial Stadium – was a rare moment of conflict amid a pretty routine 34-point win for the Tigers.

Clemson was leading FAU 27-0 and closing in on a fifth touchdown late in the second quarter when Shipley – the team’s junior starting running back and a preseason All-ACC selection – was stuffed on consecutive runs inside the Owls’ five-yard line.

Shipley ran for zero yards on first and 2 and 1 yard on second and 2 from FAU’s 2-yard line before, as documented by the ACCN broadcast, he appeared to take issue with something on Clemson’s sideline and became frustrated.

On Clemson’s next play from scrimmage, quarterback Cade Klubnik lined up under center – a rarity for the Tigers – and scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak to put his team up 34-0.

In the break before the ensuing kickoff, Shipley and Spiller – who starred at Clemson from 2006-09, played eight years in the NFL and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame – had a heated conversation and, at one point, were in each other’s faces.

“A look back to the bench, and something ain’t quite right with the star back of the Tigers,” an ACC Network broadcaster said as the TV channel played a clip of the interaction. “And then he and C.J. Spiller in a fairly animated conversation.”

“C.J. not looking like he wants to back down from that conversation,” another broadcaster added.

After the conversation, Shipley briefly roamed Clemson’s sidelines with his helmet off and a towel draped over his head, the ACC Network broadcast showed.

Shipley didn’t take long to re-engage with the game itself, according to observations from a State reporter, as he had his helmet on and was actively watching and cheering on Clemson within a few minutes of his exchange with Spiller.

Shipley also carried the ball on Clemson’s last play before halftime. He finished the game with 10 carries for 38 yards and a long of 19 yards, while co-starter Phil Mafah rushed five times for 42 yards and a touchdown.

On the season, Shipley has now carried the ball 36 times for 225 yards and zero touchdowns (6.3 yards per carry, 75.0 yards per game) and Mafah has carried the ball 25 times for 166 yards and three touchdowns (6.6 yards per carry, 55.3 yards per game).

Shipley – who was requested but not made available to media postgame – has also contributed as a receiver and kick returner for the Tigers, who moved to 2-1 on Saturday ahead of a huge home game next weekend against No. 3 Florida State.

During fall camp, Shipley spoke openly about finding a balance between using his fiery playing style and emotions to positively impact Clemson while also keeping himself in check.

He also credited Spiller, who’s in his third year as Clemson running backs coach and has coached Shipley since he arrived at Clemson, for helping him there.

“I need to learn when and how to control it,” Shipley said Aug. 6, per TigerNet. “Coach Spiller has done a tremendous job of helping me with that. Because it’s all great energy. I will be the first to tell you that. It’s all the love for the game. I just want to win. That’s all I want to do.”

“I want to go out there, and I want to win, and when that’s not happening and when I do something that hurts us in terms of winning, that’s when I get very, very frustrated. It’s learning to channel all of that and not dwell on the past and use all of that good energy for the future, and that is really where I am focusing. Not a huge thing but something I can continue to improve.”

Next Clemson game

Who: No. 3 Florida State (3-0, 1-0 ACC) at Clemson (2-1, 0-1 ACC)

When: noon next Saturday, Sept. 23

Where: Memorial Stadium in Clemson

Watch: ABC