Pace hearing it from Bulldog players "every day" but only worried about getting better

Pace is looking to earn a starting job.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sat Aug 14 13:39:44 GMT-04:00 2021

CLEMSON – Offensive coordinator Tony Elliott told the media last week to not forget about Kobe Pace. Pace, in the meantime, is doing his best to make sure the coaches remember his name while hoping his Georgia Bulldog friends lose his number until Sept. 5th.

Pace toiled in relative anonymity last season, carrying the ball 19 times for 75 yards in limited duty behind Travis Etienne, Lyn-J Dixon, Chez Mellusi and Darien Rencher. However, running backs coach CJ Spiller compares Pace to former Bulldog Nick Chubb, and Pace was the top rusher in the spring game with 69 yards.

Pace is battling Dixon – and perhaps freshman Will Shipley – for the starting job in fall camp and is doing his best Etienne impersonation.

"Knowing (Travis) Etienne is gone, I'm just trying to work my way, fight every day, and compete with all the guys that's in the room. Just go day by day while motivating each other just to keep grinding," Pace said. "I mean (last year), it was a big deal for me; being behind Travis helped me a lot to learn. (It) helped me see what he was doing on the field. So I think it gave me good motivation. Just follow his footsteps and learn after him."

Pace said he learned a lot from watching Etienne set up blocks.

"(Etienne) was good at just being patient," Pace said. "Seeing the hole, knowing when to take the right steps, and just seeing everything. The game was so slow for him. So I think that's what made it even better."

However, head coach Dabo Swinney told the media earlier this week that the running backs are fumbling too much in practice, and Pace admitted he has been one of the culprits and has had to run his fair share of extra laps.

Pace thinks it will only make him a better player, as will the competition he faces each day.

"We all are held at a high standard. So the competitiveness in the room is going to bring out the best of all of us," Pace said.

Elliott made sure the media knew to not forget Pace.

"Don't sleep on No. 20. Don't sleep on Kobe. And we saw it last year when Travis was here. Kobe is going to do everything you ask him to do,” Elliott said. “He is much quicker and faster than what people give him credit for, for his size. He's very natural as a running back, man he sees it. His eye-feet coordination is really good. Catches the ball well. He's tough, physical, strong. I'm anxious to see how this battle actually pans out once we get to the season."

Pace then said he isn’t going out there trying to win the starting job. He just wants to get better.

“At the end of the day, I’m not looking for being the No. 1 back,” Pace said. “I’m just here to make the team better in any way I can. Don’t matter who run out there first. Knowing that if one of my teammates goes out there, I know they can get the job done, or if I run out there, I hope they know I can get the job done.”

Pace grew up in Cedartown, Georgia, and knows many of the current Bulldog players and their fans. He said hears plenty of talk about the season opener between the two teams in Charlotte on Sept. 4th, but he mostly ignores the chatter.

“Actually yeah, I get a lot of texts every day talking about the game,” Pace said. “But I just put my phone down and keep working because I know what’s going to happen on September 4. I have a lot of guys on the other side at Georgia so they text me and give me hell.”