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Innhold levert av Larry Williams. Alt podcastinnhold, inkludert episoder, grafikk og podcastbeskrivelser, lastes opp og leveres direkte av Larry Williams eller deres podcastplattformpartner. Hvis du tror at noen bruker det opphavsrettsbeskyttede verket ditt uten din tillatelse, kan du følge prosessen skissert her https://no.player.fm/legal.
Telling the stories behind the stories of Clemson football and beyond.
Innhold levert av Larry Williams. Alt podcastinnhold, inkludert episoder, grafikk og podcastbeskrivelser, lastes opp og leveres direkte av Larry Williams eller deres podcastplattformpartner. Hvis du tror at noen bruker det opphavsrettsbeskyttede verket ditt uten din tillatelse, kan du følge prosessen skissert her https://no.player.fm/legal.
Telling the stories behind the stories of Clemson football and beyond.
Brian Murphy is based in Raleigh and his title is Sports Investigative Reporter for WRAL TV. Of late there's been a lot to investigate at North Carolina's football program as Bill Belichick operates in a shroud of secrecy so thick that his players didn't have jersey numbers during the Tar Heels' recent spring game. In addition, Belichick's 24-year-old girlfriend has taken on a strange role within the football program as she regularly scrutinizes UNC's communications staff for not doing a better job protecting the image of Belichick and those below him (including Bill's son Steve, the Tar Heels' defensive coordinator). Here is an excerpt from Murphy's coverage of a spring game that was not remotely like most spring games: No numbers on the jerseys for any player throughout spring or in Saturday's final practice. No player interviews throughout spring or after Saturday's final practice. No assistant coach interviews throughout spring or after Saturday's final practice. Belichick spoke to the media near the beginning of spring practice ... and not again. Not even at the end of Saturday's event. Didn’t even pick up the microphone to thank everyone for coming out or tell them how important their presence this fall would be. Murphy, a graduate of UNC, is a former newspaper sportswriter who covered Georgia Tech during the Chan Gailey era before moving to Boise and having a front-row seat to the Broncos' incredible rise to football prominence. He was there for Boise State's unforgettable 43-42 triumph over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. Before moving back to his roots in Raleigh he lived in Washington D.C., where he covered Congress for the News & Observer of Raleigh.…
Joey Batson, Clemson's longtime and iconic strength and conditioning coach, is planning for 2025 to be his final season with the Tigers. In the midst of this news broken today by Tigerillustrated.com, we revisit a 2021 interview we conducted with Batson in his office just months after he underwent open-heart surgery. "Being a coach all these years, you want to push," Batson said then. "You just want to keep pushing. But then you're having to pull yourself back, saying: 'I don't know if that's very smart.'"…
At the lowest point of his depression, Ricky Sapp was a recluse who wouldn't even answer phone calls from his mother, father or close friend Da'Quan Bowers. He couldn't sleep and was so itchy that he thought he had bed bugs. Only after he sought help did he learn that there were no bed bugs, but a monster of a battle as he tried to figure out who he was after his football career ended. Sapp found himself by stumbling onto his passion for speaking to kids. It totally changed who he was as a person. Where he once used to be terrified of public speaking, Sapp now loves having the most public persona imaginable as he posts daily inspirational videos that include a lot of dancing and joyousness. "I'm just a naturally happy person, which I learned when I got older," he said. Sapp spent a year-and-a-half at his alma mater, working in Clemson's football strength and conditioning program. But in August of 2023 he made the difficult decision to leave and pursue his all-consuming passion: Traveling the world and helping its youth. On his web site therickysappfoundation.com, Sapp "encourages youth to make positive changes within themselves, their schools and communities." "A single action can make a difference in the community; collective action can greatly impact the world. Ricky Sapp is driven by a single goal: to do his part in making the world a better place for all, one child at a time."…
It didn't take long for Viktor Lakhin to become a favorite among Clemson basketball fans after he transferred to the Tigers from Cincinnati. When he was making major contributions to triumphs over Duke, North Carolina and Kentucky, Lakhin was known as the fun-loving Russian. Dabo Swinney even took a liking to him, coining the "Lakhinness Monster" nickname late in the season when Clemson was amassing an 18-2 ACC record. But the deeper layers of Lakhin's story make him even more of a fascinating figure. He joins The Dubcast to talk about hours-long swims as a child in the Black Sea, and 26-mile walks as his father tried to build his mental toughness. Lakhin's journey to America, which took place in 2020 amid COVID shutdowns and growing tensions between Russia and Ukraine, is an extraordinary story by itself. Lakhin is married to an American named Jill, and he hopes to extend his basketball career to the professional level. And if that doesn't work out he'll try to make it big as a comedian.…
Former Clemson star Patrick Sapp watched a large number of the recent spring practices for the Tigers. Sapp is closer to the team than usual because his son Josh plays tight end for Clemson. Sapp gives his extended thoughts and insights on what he observed, and where he thinks the Tigers are headed in Year 17 under Dabo Swinney. Last August, Sapp was bullish on the idea that Cade Klubnik and the offense had made real progress and would shine in 2024. That conviction proved true, as the Tigers' final act was stressing an elite Texas defense in ways the Longhorns hadn't been pushed previously. Sapp also shares why he's spent so much of his time and passion on helping Clemson athletes set themselves up for success after their playing careers end. When Sapp played for Clemson in the 1990s, there was no PAW Journey and almost nothing devoted to helping him and other athletes develop relationships that could lead to real-world occupations. That's changed in a big way over the years and Sapp is an integral part of it. On Monday at Holly Tree Country Club in Simpsonville, Sapp will preside over the One Clemson Golf Tournament that will include Dabo Swinney, Charlie Whitehurst, CJ Spiller and other Clemson luminaries. One Clemson helps transition Clemson student-athletes to their careers by providing meaningful work experience and community-service opportunities. For more information go to one-clemson.com.…
Bobby Couch had a big job at Clemson when he was a major fundraiser for IPTAY. But that's not what Dan Radakovich was angry about when he called Couch to his office one day a decade or so ago. Radakovich wanted to talk to Couch about his other, more unofficial job: Commissioner of the Noon Time Basketball Association. The NTBA, played on weekdays, was largely athletics department staffers and personnel from the football and basketball teams. But one day an outsider showed up wearing Gamecock gear, and Dabo Swinney gave him some grief over it. The guy didn't take kindly to it, and the confrontation got nasty and was about to get physical. The spat was resolved, but it got the attention of Radakovich and the ritual NTBA games were put on a lengthy hiatus while Couch could trim the roster of invitees. "Here I am getting called to the principal's office not as a senior associate director of IPTAY, but for my role as NTBA commissioner," Couch said. "He's basically telling me I've got to shut this thing down. "Of course the first person who called me after we shut it down and asked me what the heck was going on was Coach Swinney, because he wanted to get back out on the court. I'm like: 'Hey dude. We had to shut this thing down because of you.'" Couch also remembers Brent Venables showing up to a noontime game wearing a mouthpiece. The ferocious Venables ended up accidentally jabbing Couch in face and giving him a huge black eye. Two days later, Couch had to speak to a large donor group the day the Tigers were facing Georgia in Athens. Those are just two of many memories that come flooding back about the NTBA days with Clemson (and NTBA) alum Will Wade about to face Clemson in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. We also interview Chad Lampman, a Clemson alum who preceded Couch as NTBA commissioner before he left for a position at Duke where he's been for 15 years. And UNC Asheville basketball coach Michael Morrell joins the podcast to share his most vivid memories of the NTBA. To Morrell, those games encapsulated the rare bond at Clemson shared among the staffs regardless of sport. "There's just something different about that place, man," said Morrell, who was on Oliver Purnell's staff. "There's just something different there that's special. "I always thought it was cool how the football and basketball staffs there found ways to have relationships. I was on the basketball staff at Texas for three years, and no offense to Texas but I didn't even know the football coaches there. Didn't even know them. "But at Clemson you knew everybody, man. And it still seems like it's the same for them there now. Gosh, man. What a cool place to be a player, a coach, a writer or whatever. Because it's not that way everywhere."…
Tom Allen has been a breath of fresh air around Clemson's football program as he injects authority and energy that were lacking before Dabo Swinney hired him from Penn State. He's already gone back and watched plenty of film from last year, including of the first two practices. He didn't like what he saw. Allen goes in-depth on his task at his new job and how it differs from the objective he had a year ago when he took over the Nittany Lions. Will Heldt made a big splash by signing with Clemson out of the transfer portal, and he's made an even bigger one over the past couple months during intense workouts and practices. Bottom line after he won just five games the past two years at Purdue: He's hungry to win big, and that hunger has rubbed off on a group of returning players who have won a lot but not enough for their liking.…
Jock McKissic's new book looks like it could've been written by Dabo Swinney. That's how much impact McKissic's former coach has had on his life, from his career as a Clemson defensive lineman from 2005 to 2008, all the way to this day. In 50 Principles to Thrive in Life From Half-Full to Overflowing, McKissic explores themes such as The Coffee Bean Principle, why comfort is your greatest enemy, and how to control the controllables. But the most meaningful chapter to McKissic is: "Flowers for the living -- why waiting until it's too late to appreciate people is the biggest regret of all." "I give my male peers flowers," McKissic said. "Because most men don't get flowers until they're dead. I don't want anybody around me to get their first bouquet of flowers when they're at their own funeral." McKissic, who conducted the interview from a DMV parking lot in Los Angeles, also explores the other parts of a life that has ventured far from his roots in Alabama and Clemson. McKissic was born in Opelika, Ala. His mother Cynthia D. Smith took notice to his love for entertaining early. Jock began acting in church & school plays at age 7. His love for the craft would continue to flourish, but took a back seat to sports once he reached high school. During his tenure at Clemson University, McKissic would occasionally join the improv team on campus for events. In 2012 he found his way back to the camera on USA television show, Necessary Roughness. After retiring from football later that year, Jock took on acting full time. His resume continues to expand, but not only as an actor; as a writer and director as well.…
In her book The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty, author Valerie Bauerlein hones in on not just Mark Tinsley's central role in the fall but his full story. Away from the courtroom, Tinsley's passion is traveling to isolated regions of the world and hunting big game. He has stalked Dall sheep on the edge of the Arctic Circle, moose in the Yukon, mule deer in the rocky hills of the Mexican border and grizzlies across the remote Alaskan islands. An excerpt from the book: Tinsley raised the sight to the ram's chest and steeled himself, doing his best to ignore the ache in his hand and the throbbing in his back. Everything he had endured to reach this moment was its own reward. He took a deep breath, exhaled slightly, then held the exhalation and squeezed the trigger. A half second later, the ram fell. Tinsley stood up and hiked toward his prize. He did not feel triumphant. He felt grateful. Many trial lawyers are hunters, known in both their personal and professional lives for their willingness to draw blood. Tinsley joins The Dubcast to recount in detail his decision to take on former friend Alex Murdaugh by representing the family of Mallory Beach. Initially Murdaugh and plenty of other people in the legal profession believed Tinsley was going to be an ally to Murdaugh in the wrongful death lawsuit -- "a friendly lawsuit," as Murdaugh called it. Murdaugh soon learned otherwise, and he confronted Tinsley at an annual trial lawyer gathering on Hilton Head. "Alex saw me and he came straight across the room," Tinsley said. "He wants to know: 'What's this I've been hearing about you saying you want a pound of flesh and I'm going to have to pay?'" Tinsley's response: "If you don't think I can burn your house down, you're sorely mistaken." Playing a major role in bringing down the Murdaugh dynasty has made Tinsley a celebrity who's recognized almost everywhere he goes. But battling Murdaugh while also fighting stage four prostate cancer has made Tinsley better in ways far beyond fame and fortune. "It helped me really focus on what matters. There are so many times in life we get all wrought up in these little things that at the end of the day don't really matter: 'My daughter's room wasn't clean enough. She left her plate of food on the table,' or whatever it may be. I think the thing I got most out of it was watching the Beaches, helping them what they've gone through, and who they are in spite of what happened to them. "It made me want to be a better person. It made me want to focus on things like underage drinking and the hazards of it. If we can make the world a better place, a safer place, we ought to do so. So now I focus on things like that. I want to be a better person. I want to do good things. I want to be remembered for something other than Alex Murdaugh." Tinsley is a Clemson graduate who said he wore an orange backpack when he attended law school in Columbia. His daughter Emma is a current Clemson student studying Criminal Justice, and she plans to attend law school after graduation.…
As a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, Valerie Bauerlein had a front-row seat to the most captivating murder trial since OJ Simpson. But Bauerlein did more than file dispatches to her newspaper during Alex Murdaugh's trial: She wrote the definitive narrative of not just the Murdaugh story, but the roots of the generational power the Murdaugh family wielded in Hampton County for more than a century as they made problems go away by making lies look like the truth. In The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty, Bauerlein delivers a masterpiece of reporting, organization and storytelling. Bauerlein, a national reporter who writes about small-town America and Southern politics, economics and culture, joins The Dubcast to reflect not just on her process of writing the book but also some fascinating parts of the backstory that didn't make the final edit -- including an early-1900s march on the Horseshoe in Columbia by Randolph Murdaugh Sr. to bring back football after it was banned. Bauerlein also explores some questions that remain unanswered even as Alex is in prison for the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul: Did Alex have help in carrying out the murders? How close was Alex to averting a guilty verdict? Where is all the money he stole from people who most needed it, including the family of Gloria Satterfield? Bauerlein lives in the Raleigh area with her husband and two children. Before joining the Journal in 2005, she worked as a congressional correspondent for the News & Observer in Raleigh, a legislative reporter at The State in Columbia, and a cops reporter at the Winston-Salem Journal.…
For the first time in 156 years, Clemson University has brought the Will of Thomas Green Clemson back to campus. "Not having the Will here would be like the United States not knowing where the Constitution was, or knowing where it was but not having access to it every day -- the original document," says university historian Otis Pickett. "And now Clemson -- our Constitution, our founding document -- is home in our archives. We can look at it. We can study it. We can look at all the little details of it. We can see all the little important provenance of that document that helps us better understand how to be Clemson." Pickett rejoins The Clemson Dubcast to articulate his dream of having that document on display for everyone to be able to view "and to say: That's the document that started this whole thing." "We are working on a Clemson History Museum," Pickett said. "We would tell the Thomas Green Clemson story. We would tell the military story. Then we have all this amazing stuff from Harvey Gantt and desegregation and the RC Edwards administration; we're going to have a whole room dedicated to just that. A whole room dedicated to the history of the Tiger paw. "I want this to be a part of the game-day experience: Bring folks up to the museum, get something to drink, sit on the porch and reconnect with other alumni. And bring your children so they can see all this history. Because we're more than just athletics. That's a huge part of our identity, but there's so much more. I want folks to experience that and see that in a tangible manner. And that will familiarize our alumni base with all of our history. So when something comes out that we haven't heard before, it's not as shocking. "That's my vision. That's my dream." Pickett also shares the story of how his and his wife's life changed over the 16 months that their daughter Sadie Margaret lived before passing in June of 2017. To contribute to the Clemson History Museum, go to the following web site: https://iamatiger.clemson.edu/giving/historic-properties…
Mike Noonan doesn't sugarcoat where he thinks college athletics is headed. "Buckle up and hold on tight, because we're going to go through a hurricane," he said. Noonan, who has led Clemson to two national titles in men's soccer, is privy to major changes taking shape in the college game. "We've made about five different attempts to become a two-semester sport, and modernize the sport, but we have hit roadblocks in the NCAA bureaucracy every time," he said. "So with all the changes going on with college athletics, and there's been a number of changes in the governing body at U.S. Soccer ... we re-engaged in conversations with them. "There was a pilot program put forward, similar to the College Football Playoff. We're not leaving the NCAA, but we would play over two semesters and there'd be a national tournament sponsored by U.S. Soccer at the end of the spring portion of our season. The national governing body would pay for the championship, and we would be able to progress our game in a way that we haven't been able to." Noonan said athletics directors have been in "great discussions" with U.S. Soccer about adopting the pilot program for the 2026-27 year. He said there are different championship models that feature 36 teams, 48 teams and even 72 teams. "We all feel favorable that it's going to happen. It will be a big change." Noonan also shares how, a few years into his Clemson tenure, he significantly changed his recruiting model. "When we got here we were in a position where we had to just look for talent. And talent without character is a recipe for disaster." Noonan consulted a familiar name as he constructed his new model: One Dabo Swinney. Swinney's advice to Noonan: It's not what works everywhere; it's what works at Clemson. "That flipped a switch for me," Noonan said. "We came up with 10 recruiting criteria and decided we were going to recruit to them. And any player that we were going to let come into our program was going to have to tick seven of those criteria."…
As college athletics enters the revenue-sharing model, Patrick Sapp has a different perspective than most because: 1) He played in the NFL; 2) His son Josh is currently being paid to play at Clemson. Josh, preparing for his third year with the Tigers, certainly didn't command the major price tag earned by some of the team's elite weapons including Cade Klubnik, Antonio Williams and Peter Woods. But there were actual negotiations and he is making an actual cut of the revenue share. "Going through the negotiating process and conversations with Josh was very interesting," Patrick said. "It truly reminded me of the NFL contractual conversations that my agent and I went through when I played for San Diego and Arizona. "What's the player's value? What has he contributed? What do the coaches feel like a player can contribute in the future? All those things go into what a player demands from the university, or from the internal collectives. And that is truly how those numbers are reached. "The other influence on this whole thing is other school are now interested in your players. So for people who say 'This is all crazy,' schools are now coming after your starters. It's not as much about kids being angry over playing time. It's now a case of, you have to protect your starters all 12 months of the year." Sapp says he does have some concerns over what gobs of money can do the minds of young men who are still in their formative years and expected to attend classes and make progress toward graduation. "Fortunately my son has me. And we are definitely taking care of his money the right way. He's definitely with a financial planner, accountant and all those surrounding things. And we're not doing it just to manage it for him; we're doing it to educate him along the way so he truly understands it. He and I talk about what's important and not important about how you spend your money, so that he can have those good habits early in life. "Unfortunately all kids don't have that situation. So then it's up to the coaches and the support staff and all those people to wrap their arms around those young men who are in those situations so they don't do crazy things with the money they have. "And I explained it as simple as this to my son: 'This is the only time in your life where you will make a significant amount of money with no financial responsibility. So given that, the money you make in college should triple by the time you leave. Because you have no expenses. This is the only time in your life that you will have that, so let's get a head start on life.' That's where our conversation started." Sapp also gives his thoughts and insights on the fundamental defensive flaws in 2024 that led Dabo Swinney to fire Wes Goodwin and bring in Tom Allen from Penn State.…
It's been a surreal week for The Post and Courier's Jon Blau, who reacquainted himself with Tom Allen after covering Allen when he was Indiana's head coach. Before Blau left Bloomington for Upstate South Carolina in 2021, he was presented with an Indiana football helmet signed by Allen. Now Blau considers possession of the helmet a conflict of interest and is considering auctioning it off. Blau has plenty of stories and insight into Allen for fans curious about the coach's backstory and what makes him tick. Eric Mac Lain rejoins the podcast to give his take on Dabo Swinney's recent big move and what it means for the overall state of the program. Also, what does Mac Lain think about the state of college football as it moves quickly toward the revenue-share model? Once upon a time, Mac Lain was stoked to get free swag from the Orange Bowl after repeat appearances there. Now, Clemson's highest-paid assistant coach (Allen at $1.9 million) isn't making as much as the quarterback. "I'm just mad I came along too early to get some of that money," Mac Lain said.…
Beth Hoole was a total stranger to the Clemson-South Carolina rivalry when she moved from Fargo to Greenville in 2022 to be the sports director at FOX Carolina News. "I've never experienced anything like this rivalry, and it's so much fun. When people say sports are so much different in the South, it's so true. It's wild how passionate and upset people can get about the other side." Hoole has fully immersed herself in all aspects of the job, and now she's specializing in helping tell the stories behind Clemson athletics as part of her station's formal relationship with the school. Once upon a time, Hoole was the first female sports director in the history of North Dakota. It was not well received, as she got nasty emails telling her she should be working in the kitchen and had no business covering sports. A Nebraska grad, Hoole has learned to be comfortable in her own skin as she explores the deeper layers of the backgrounds of players and coaches. And her regular access to Dabo Swinney and Brad Brownell has given her a fascinating window into how the two coaches operate behind the scenes. Hoole also recounts getting roasted (in a playful way) by Mike Krzyzewski when he learned she is from the Chicago suburbs.…
In Part 2 of our Best of 2024 podcast, we revisit some of the more memorable excerpts from our interviews over the past year: -- Thomas Austin, on what it's like to deal with being fired by Dabo Swinney. In 2008, Austin was an offensive lineman on the team that helped Swinney secure the head-coaching job with a victory over South Carolina. Swinney even rode on Austin's shoulders to midfield that day to shake the hand of Steve Spurrier. -- Otis Pickett, on returning to his alma mater from Mississippi to be the historian of Clemson University. A significant part of Pickett's mission is introducing and framing the public conversation on Clemson's past, which includes difficult and complicated topics on race. -- Cliff Ellis, former Clemson basketball coach, shares numerous stories about his musical career. Had he not chosen coaching, Ellis could've easily spent his life as a professional musician. In the mid-1960s, his group The Villagers was a sensation and even recorded at the legendary Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Ala. Ellis remembers joining Roy Orbison on stage at a sold-out concert in Dothan, Ala. "If you can perform in front of people with Roy Orbison behind you, you're going to be OK going up against Dean Smith and Mike Krzyzewski," he said. -- Tommy West looks back to a totally different time for Clemson football in the 1990s when the Tigers didn't have any facilities to speak of and were so behind on that front that he once tried to stage an August practice at a local livestock arena.…
We go back through the interview files to excerpt the most memorable sequences from our 2024 podcast interviews. Today in Part 1: -- Brad Scott and son Jeff Scott, on being out of the football business. Also, their insider recollections of various high-stakes recruitments including Sammy Watkins, Mike Bellamy and others; -- Mike Noonan, who brought Clemson two national soccer titles in three years. Noonan shares his family's fascinating backstory, and the unlikely path he and his wife took to Clemson; -- Billy Donlon, an assistant under Brad Brownell, on his life in basketball that includes formative years in the shadow of the Chicago Bulls dynasty. -- Thad Turnipseed, looking back on all the things that came together for Dabo Swinney's program to ascend to almost unimaginable heights. Part 2 comes Dec. 31st.…
Cade Klubnik's return to Austin to face former high school rival Quinn Ewers is one of the more compelling stories of the inaugural 12-team playoff. The story has fascinating roots, and with that in mind we revisit two interviews we conducted years ago to learn more about Klubnik's background: -- With Klubnik in December of 2021, days before he was to fly to Clemson to begin life as a Tiger; -- With Klubnik's high school coach, Todd Dodge, in December of 2022 as Klubnik was set to take over as Clemson's starting quarterback. The most remarkable part of Klubnik's journey to Clemson is that he stuck with the Tigers even when they didn't offer him. He had to wait until Ty Simpson decided between Clemson and Alabama before that offer came. And meanwhile, Steve Sarkisian at Texas and Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M had already offered him. Dodge decided to retire after Klubnik led Westlake High School to a third consecutive state title as a senior. After two years out of the game, Dodge returned to the football field last offseason when he took over at Lovejoy High in Lucas, Texas.…
B.T. Potter has known current Clemson kicker Nolan Hauser since Hauser was in middle school. Potter, who kicked for the Tigers from 2018 to 2022, was in Bank of America Stadium when Hauser drilled the 56-yard field goal that put Clemson in Austin for Saturday's first-round playoff game against Texas. Potter says Hauser has a confidence that he lacked as a freshman and had to learn over time. What's it like to be on special teams when the rest of the team is grinding away through physically demanding practices? What's it like to get reamed by Dabo Swinney on national television, as Potter did in 2021 after missing two short field goals he should've made in a close game against Florida State? What's it like to get cut from an NFL team and wonder if your football career is done? Potter, who recently signed with the Michigan Panthers of the United Football League, has a lot going on right now including preparing for a wedding. He shares his story here.…
Thirteen days ago, Roy Philpott got the assignment of his dreams from ESPN: South Carolina at Clemson, Nov. 30. Philpott, a Clemson graduate who spent many years in the area working in various media capacities covering the Tigers, joins The Dubcast to reflect on a wild afternoon at Death Valley and what it meant for both teams. There were so many twists and turns late in the game that Philpott walked away from the stadium asking himself if he did justice to the game, its stakes, and the extraordinary show put on by Gamecock freshman LaNorris Sellers. Philpott spent quite a lot of time with Dabo Swinney and a few other staff members the day before the game. What were his takeaways? What does he think about Swinney's ability to adapt to a rapidly changing collegiate model enough to get Clemson back to the top of the mountain? Philpott's normally busy schedule is about to get even crazier with the overlap of college football and college basketball. He still lives in the Upstate and has no desire to leave.…
A year ago on this podcast, Ellis Johnson correctly foreshadowed a Clemson victory in Columbia because in his mind the Tigers were just better. Now he has no idea how to predict Saturday's Top 15 showdown in Death Valley. "I think it's a dead-even game," he said. Johnson has been on both sides of this rivalry, in the mid-1990s at Clemson under Tommy West and as Steve Spurrier's defensive coordinator in Columbia from 2008 to 2011 (and as an analyst under Will Muschamp from 2016-18). Johnson is a closer observer of Clemson now because is son Charlie is a walk-on for the Tigers. Ellis' routine during the season is traveling to Clemson and watching every Tuesday practice. In addition to sizing up this rivalry matchup, Johnson gives his thought on the tumultuous state of college athletics as the model transitions from amateurism to NIL to the full-on revenue sharing to come starting in the summer of 2025. "The NCAA has created a mess," he said. "Letting the top level of college football get too far out of hand is going to seriously damage the overall college football scene. And when that damage happens, it's always the kids that get affected by it."…
Scott Hamilton is a media survivor. He prefers to call himself a cockroach. Whatever the name, his current title is sports columnist for The Post and Courier newspaper and he's utterly thrilled to hold this position as the only newspaper sports columnist left in the Palmetto State. "I feel like I'm 28 years old again," he said. "It's so exciting." Hamilton joins the podcast to reflect on a career that has included newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and sales for a minor-league baseball team. And to think: He went to college to become a history teacher. Hamilton shares insight into his daily routine, the state of newspapers, and the current state of college football. And yes, he's totally geeked about this week's South Carolina-Clemson showdown in Death Valley.…
In a mere three years, Terrence Oglesby has established himself as a successful college basketball broadcaster and analyst. It's taken lots of hustle and networking, but most of all Oglesby's continued upward trajectory is a tribute to his smooth style and his strong command of the game. Oglesby's duties consist of: Analyst for Charlotte Hornets home games; ESPN; FOX; NBA TV; The Field of 68; and CBS Sports Network. Just this past week he was in Milwaukee broadcasting a game Monday night, and by the next afternoon he was driving from Atlanta to Clemson to work his alma mater's game against Eastern Kentucky. The former sharpshooter for Oliver Purnell spent several years living in Clemson, but last fall he moved his family to Greenville so he could be closer to the airport. Oglesby gives his thoughts on the current state of Clemson basketball under Brad Brownell. He's convinced that Brownell is going to lead the Tigers to sustained prominence as Brownell continues to take advantage of the transfer portal and maintaining the relationships with major donors that are necessary to pay for high-end talent in the NIL era.…
Earlier this week, Dabo Swinney wished a happy 80th Birthday to his mother and shared some details of her positively remarkable life story. Five years ago, Tigerillustrated.com sat down with Carol and she told the story in full. A small excerpt: At some point my mother noticed there was something different about how polio had affected me, compared to others. It left me weakened from my waist up and affected my upper body, but not my legs. If polio affected your legs you had no strength or use of them, never growing and never developing any muscles. These people were in big, heavy braces just dragging themselves around. Some were on crutches that held their arms up. At the time I thought: “You know, I’m so thankful.” It was better for your arms to be affected by polio than your legs. I couldn’t raise my arms. I couldn’t use them. I couldn’t use my hands. So at first I was put into body braces that came around my body, under my arms so they could help keep my arms up. And still to this day, you can see the tremors in my hands and the atrophy. That’s what polio did to me. So I wore those braces until they would have to be changed, and then I would get a new brace. And that went on and on and on. My upper body was so weak that I developed a bad case of scoliosis, a severe curving of the spine. Because the polio attacked my muscles, I was temporarily paralyzed. And it was drawing me way over to my left side. My body was curved so badly that had I not had corrective surgery and braces, I would have remained curved over had I lived. That’s when my mother realized something was wrong, really wrong. Even with the braces, she would take the braces off just to bathe me and put them back on. But my body would still flop to the left. So my mom took me back to the Crippled Children’s Clinic and Hospital in Birmingham. My body had to be encased as I continued to grow so it would remain straight until I was old enough to have surgery. I was put in a full body cast and spent 14 months in it. At the time I had long hair; my mother had let it grow out into a long ponytail. And the day they were going to put me in that body cast, they had to cut my ponytail off and basically shave my head. I was almost 9 years old, and I thought that was the most terrifying thing for them to do. My mom wasn’t there; they wouldn’t allow her to be there with me. She did ask them to save my ponytail. So they did, and they put it into a plastic bag and they gave it to her and she kept it for years. Today we present the audio from that 2019 conversation with Carol. And we join her son in wishing her a happy 80th birthday.…
On May 3, WYFF News 4 Sports Director Marc Whiteman shared this on social media: Been pretty low key on social media and at work lately, and I’m ready to share some news. Liam Finn Whiteman was born at just 28 weeks old last weekend at 3 lbs and 12 ounces. Earlier in the week, Mary and I were rushed to the hospital under the threat of preterm labor, and a little less than 72 hours later, Liam was here. We didn’t have his name picked out. We thought we had more time. But as it became apparent that he was coming, sooner than expected, we realized it was always Liam. In Irish, Liam points to a “strong-willed warrior.” In Hebrew, a “determined guardian.” We knew whatever was coming, he’d need to be both of those things. He is already so much more. We’re anxious to get our little guy home from the NICU, and are so confident in the incredible team of doctors, nurses and caregivers at Prisma looking after him. Progress isn’t always linear, but we’re incredibly encouraged by his growth so far. He’s a tough little nugget. Mary and I already love him so much more than we could even fathom, and are so eager to watch him get a little bit bigger, stronger and healthier each and every day. We’re so thankful for the village we have around us. Our family, friends and incredible co-workers have picked us up and looked after us as we grapple with each day. They’ve dropped what they were doing, rearranged their lives, and come to our side. We’re looking forward to repaying that kindness in the future, and showering our baby boy with all the love in the universe when he comes home. After 67 days in the hospital, Liam finally came home in late summer. He is now more than sixth months old. Marc joins the podcast to share their story.…
In 2006, Patricia Watkins thought her son was going to play college football for the Florida Gators. She had never even heard of Clemson when CJ Spiller traveled for a visit there that changed his life, and their lives. Last week, Watkins was a part of Spiller's entourage on the field at Death Valley when he was inducted into Clemson's Ring of Honor. It brought tears to her eyes because the first thing she thought of was when CJ tried to join a youth football team as a 6-year-old and was told he was too young (he spent that season as the water boy instead). CJ bawled his eyes out that day when told he couldn't play. He was crying again last Saturday, but they were tears of joy and gratitude. Watkins joins The Dubcast to reflect on the journey since Spiller's recruitment when she first heard the name Dabo Swinney. Swinney, then the receivers coach, was the key figure in convincing Spiller that Clemson was the place for him. And then a year later, Swinney was again the catalyst in convincing Spiller to remain at Clemson after he'd made up his mind he was going back home and transferring to Florida to join Urban Meyer, Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin. The mother of the most important recruit in Clemson football history opens up about her story, and their story.…
David Hale of ESPN has a fascinating, tumultuous relationship with Dabo Swinney dating back nine years when Swinney's nuclear response to a Hale question about "Clemsoning" went viral. Hale joins the podcast to share what that relationship has been like in recent years as he communicates with Swinney both in press conferences and in more informal settings. In a transformative time for college athletics, Hale has visited with numerous athletics directors to try to get a sense of how they might adjust to the advent of revenue sharing with athletes. Is it naive to think a more regulated, policed NIL is actually going to work? And what of the ACC as its profile falls even further behind in the shadow of an expanded SEC and Big Ten? What's the best move for Clemson and Florida State? Stay in the ACC in exchange for more money and a reduced Grant of Rights agreement? Or continue fighting like hell to get out because they can't afford falling into obscurity over the next 5-6 seasons? Lots of questions and few concrete answers. But Hale possesses a smarter and more informed grasp of the big picture than most anyone out there.…
Mickey Plyler, a Clemson-area sports-radio institution, rejoins The Dubcast to talk football ... and the current political-football fiasco taking place in Clemson. Plyler turns the tables on the interview and asks his own questions about: -- Seneca Journal publisher Jerry Edwards using shady tactics to try to influence the Clemson mayoral and city-council elections; -- The publisher joining forces with a current Clemson mayoral candidate (and sitting council member) to fabricate a gender war between the men and women on Clemson's city council, in addition to alleging that the mayor and other council members pocketed money from developers; -- The idea that growth has been bad for Clemson, and criticisms that said growth has turned Clemson "into another Atlanta, Chicago or Detroit" as some in the anti-development faction have alleged. In the second half of the interview, we try to wrap our arms around how quickly the perception of Clemson football changed over the past two games after a debilitating loss at Georgia was (incorrectly) said to inflict long-range repercussions. Plyler also shares some deeply personal and meaningful revelations he experienced recently when he observed his 5-year-old son experiencing the wonder of a Clemson game at Death Valley.…
Earlier this summer we sat down with Brad Brownell for an interview that lasted more than two hours. The full Q&A was published at Tigerillustrated.com in June. Last week was Part 1, and now we present Part 2 of a conversation that touched on a number of topics including Clemson's stirring run to the Elite Eight in last season's NCAA Tournament.…
Earlier this summer we sat down with Brad Brownell for an interview that lasted more than two hours. The full Q&A was published at Tigerillustrated.com in June. We now present the full audio of that conversation that touched on a number of topics including Clemson's stirring run to the Elite Eight in last season's NCAA Tournament. Part 2 of the interview will be published next week.…
Three years ago, Jon Blau left Bloomington, Ind., and found himself in a strange new world of big-time college football after he took over as the Clemson beat writer for The Post and Courier of Charleston. Jon has fashioned a reputation as an excellent storyteller during his stint, uncovering angles and depth that others don't see. He joins the podcast to reflect on his job and how he does it, including the balance between spending too much and too little time on social media. With Clemson opening the 2024 season against Georgia, Jon says this game and this season is a critical juncture for Dabo Swinney's program as it tries to get back to breathing elite air after a three-year absence.…
Brad Scott has retired from football and is now back in Clemson enjoying the grandad and golf life. Jeff Scott is fully immersed in his custom homebuilding business and out of football for a second consecutive season. In other words, father and son have time to sit back and tell stories from their decades in college football that included epic runs at Clemson and Florida State. Brad remembers going out to dinner with Dabo Swinney in Clemson when Swinney was interviewing with Tommy Bowden for a job coaching receivers in the spring of 2003. When Swinney landed a blockbuster recruiting class in 2011 after a 6-7 season, Brad was the major figure in the signings of Sammy Watkins, Martavis Bryant and Mike Bellamy. He remembers the NCAA coming to campus to ask him questions after people wondered how Clemson could sign so many high-profile players after a disappointing season. Brad also shares a story from 1986 when he was on Bobby Bowden's staff at FSU and Bowden called. "Brad, I'm going to Alabama and taking you with me," Bobby told him over the phone. Bowden ended up backing out of the job after accepting it. Jeff shares a recollection from 1998, three days after South Carolina fired his father as head coach. Tommy Bowden had taken over at Clemson and offered Brad a spot as tight ends coach. Brad took the job, and soon thereafter Jeff was wearing a Clemson cap when he ran into former Gamecock quarterback Steve Taneyhill. Taneyhill thought Jeff was just bitter and wearing the hat out of spite. "Steve," Jeff told him. "We're really going to Clemson. My dad just got a job coaching tight ends."…
Under Gary Stokan's leadership and vision, Peach Bowl Inc. events have generated an economic impact of $1.27 billion and $76.74 million in direct government tax revenue for the city of Atlanta and state of Georgia since 199. Stokan was also a key driver of relocating the College Football Hall of Fame to Atlanta. Once upon a time in the early 1980s, Stokan was a late-20s sneaker rep for Adidas and thought he had Michael Jordan locked up for a shoe deal. Nike swooshed in and gave MJ a deal he couldn't refuse, and Stokan still views it as the biggest disappointment of his business career even though he managed to lock up Herschel Walker and Mike Krzyzewski during the same time period. Stokan joins the podcast to discuss the upcoming matchup between Clemson and Georgia in the Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta. Sixteen years ago, Clemson played in the inaugural game when it faced second-year Alabama coach Nick Saban. Stokan says both the Bulldogs and Tigers have sold out their ticket allotments, and he anticipates a crowd split of close to 50/50 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Aug. 31. We also share Cade Klubnik's Aug. 12 press conference where he shared his insight into the progress shown by Clemson's offense thus far during camp.…
With Kirby Smart and his program facing repeated off-field-incidents, the latest the arrest of receiver RaRa Thomas and his subsequent dismissal from the team, what's the common view of Smart and his culture from typical Georgia fans? Is it fair to say he and his program have a character problem? What of Dabo Swinney, and the view of him from Bulldogs people? Is there a belief in Athens that Clemson is a legitimate threat to beat Georgia in the Aug. 31 opener? Young, who has three different jobs -- one at the UGA Rivals site, the other teaching at UGA's college of journalism, and the other in public relations -- is well positioned to give an answer to those questions and many others. Young is also a weekly guest on Mickey Plyler's morning radio show at WCCP-FM.…
In our final installment of the full, uncut media sit-downs recently conducted by Clemson's assistant football coaches, we present Kyle Richardson and Mickey Conn. Richardson is in his third season coaching the Tigers' tight ends, and he has a potential star in Jake Briningstool. Conn, who is in his eighth year coaching safeties while also holding the co-defensive coordinator title for a third season, reflects on the depth he has on the back end with RJ Mickens, Khalil Barnes and Tyler Venables ahead of a cluster of young players who should push for playing time. The Tigers began August camp Thursday. They open the 2024 season Aug. 31 against Georgia in Atlanta.…
We continue with the uncut audio from the recent sit-downs with Clemson's football assistants. Tyler Grisham prepares for his fifth season in charge of Clemson's receivers after taking over for Jeff Scott in 2020. He sees big things out of this group if the receivers can stay healthy, something that's been a major obstacle in recent years. Mike Reed discusses replacing Nate Wiggins after a spectacular 2023 season from the cornerback. Avieon Terrell is expected to be an elite presence sooner rather than later as he enters his sophomore season. Jeadyn Lukus and Shelton Lewis could be in a fierce competition for the starting spot on the other side. And newcomers Tavoy Feagin and Corian Gipson are considered fast risers also. Reed has been at Clemson for 11 seasons. This past offseason he was in the mix to become head coach at his alma mater, Boston College, but the Eagles ended up hiring Bill O'Brien from Ohio State. Clemson begins August camp Thursday and opens the season Aug. 31 against Georgia in Atlanta.…
We continue presenting the full, uncut audio from the recent interviews conducted of Clemson's assistant football coaches. Today C.J. Spiller reflects on his upcoming induction into Clemson's prestigious Ring of Honor, and also his assessment of the Tigers' situation at running back behind starter Phil Mafah. Nick Eason, back for his third season as defensive tackles coach, holds court and shares his thoughts on what should be a highly disruptive interior. He also gives his opinions on the current state of college football with the transfer portal and NIL. Clemson begins August camp a week from today. The Tigers open the season Aug. 31 against Georgia in Atlanta.…
We present the full, uncut audio from the recent media sit-downs by Garrett Riley and Wes Goodwin. Riley discusses Year 2 in his role as offensive coordinator at Clemson after last year didn't go according to plan, with the offense frequently succumbing to self-impaling turnovers, erratic quarterback play, lack of cohesion at receiver and inconsistent offensive line play. Goodwin, who rebounded in 2023 after a difficult first season filling the shoes of Brent Venables, looks to have the defense at an elite level thanks largely to a defensive front that could rank among the nation's best. Clemson opens the season Aug. 31 against Georgia in Atlanta. The Tigers open preseason camp Aug. 1.…
We present the full audio from the media's visit with Matt Luke and Chris Rumph last week. Dabo Swinney made a major splash last December -- one his skeptics didn't think he'd make -- by parting with Thomas Austin and Lemanski Hall. Much like with the Brandon Streeter-Garrett Riley transition, Swinney probably wasn't going to make a change if he couldn't land a big fish. Luke and Rumph qualified as big fish, and from all accounts they are bringing a different dynamic to the football building and practice fields with their authority, command and demand for physical and mental toughness.…
With C.J. Spiller in the news recently upon the announcement of his induction into Clemson's Ring of Honor, we go back four years to an extended interview with the former superstar and current running backs coach. Back then, Spiller was preparing for his wedding. He had not yet joined Dabo Swinney's staff. He was a volunteer track coach at Liberty High School, trying to impart some of the lessons that helped made him a great football player and track athlete. In the course of this interview Spiller covered a number of topics, including the back of a business card that Swinney turned into a pseudo contract with Spiller to assure that he followed through on his commitment to Clemson in 2006 (Swinney was then Clemson's receivers coach). Spiller did follow through on the unconventional path to Clemson, and his decision could reasonably classified as the most important by a player in Clemson's football history. Because without him, it's hard to imagine Swinney later leading Clemson to prominence and dominance. This interview took place in late-April of 2020 after COVID had shut down just about everything. That summer, Spiller would join Swinney's staff as an intern. A year later he became running backs coach after Tony Elliott's departure for the head job at Virginia, and he is now preparing for his fourth season in charge of the position.…
We travel back to late 2018 when Clemson was on a rampage to its second national title in three seasons. In the days before Clemson's rivalry game against South Carolina, we visited with Steve Spurrier for his recollections about his epic wars of words with Dabo Swinney when Spurrier was the Gamecocks' coach. As Spurrier crept closer to walking away from the game, and as he saw Swinney building Clemson into a powerhouse, the two became closer and Spurrier ended up inviting Dabo and wife Kathleen to his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. Late in 2018, Rinaldi traveled to Clemson for an in-depth ESPN story on the 10th anniversary of Swinney taking over as Clemson's head coach. As he said during this interview, the inspiration for his feature was a multi-part series Tigerillustrated.com reported on the same topic earlier that fall. The interview with Rinaldi took place as Clemson was preparing to face Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl. The Tigers went on to beat the Irish and Alabama by an aggregate 74-19 in the 2018 College Football Playoff.…
Billy Donlon goes way back with Brad Brownell -- all the way back to when Brownell was an assistant at UNC-Wilmington and Donlon played for the school. Donlon later served as an assistant for Brownell when Brownell was head coach at UNC-W, and then he followed him to Wright State when Brownell got that job. After Brownell left for Clemson, Donlon took over for him at Wright State and lasted six seasons. Donlon has been Brownell's associate head coach for the past two seasons. He joins The Dubcast to reflect on the Tigers' stirring Elite Eight run and all the things that went into it. Donlon also goes deep on his life story: His grandparents came to America from Ireland, living in New York after entering via Ellis Island. Donlon's father was an assistant coach for Providence and played a major role in recruiting the team that went to the Final Four in 1987. He had left a year earlier to join Bill Foster at Northwestern. Donlon remembers growing up in the Chicago area when the Bulls were becoming transcendent with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and others. He routinely visited the Bulls' practice facility, and he recalls one day when Pippen and Horace Grant invited him to lunch. "I was three hours late coming home, and the cops were at my house when I got home because my mom didn't know where I was," he said.…
In Part 2 of our lengthy interview with Thomas Austin, the former Clemson offensive line coach reflects on how he has transitioned from the non-stop grind of coaching. Having become strongly rooted in Clemson, he and his family are hoping to remain. "My oldest is 12, and he was on the sidelines when I was the coach. He's still processing it. He's pulling for baseball right now, and he loves Clemson Athletics. But the football side of it is complicated for him. "Our other children, we'll sit them down and say: 'We need to talk to you guys.' And they'll be like, 'Oh no, are we about to move?' And we'll say no, we're just going to the lake this weekend." "They're always worried that the next time we sit down to talk to them is going to be when they're told they have to leave all their friends. "So that's the human element of it. It's not just about me. It's about my wife and my family too. It affects a lot of people. But that's a part of the business." Austin also shares a classic story from his recruitment, when a first-year South Carolina coach named Steve Spurrier tried to pursue Austin but was told in no uncertain terms by Austin's mother that her son was going to Clemson.…
When Dabo Swinney locked up the head-coaching job with a win over South Carolina in November of 2008, Thomas Austin was one of the players that carried him to midfield in the giddy celebration. Swinney fired Austin last December after a four-loss regular season. There are layers to this parting that aren't present in most other firings. Austin and his wife are both Clemson alums, and they have chosen to remain in Clemson because their children are in school. Austin, who coached offensive line for the Tigers, joins The Clemson Dubcast to reflect on what it was like to suddenly find himself without a job. He also gives an inside look into what it's like for an assistant coach to navigate the chaotic world of the transfer portal and NIL. This is Part 1 of our interview with Austin.…
As IPTAY becomes more involved with NIL fundraising as part of the 110 Society, and as the collegiate model veers even more sharply toward compensation for athletes, a big part of Billy Milam's role is conveying a modernized message to IPTAY. In a recent issue of Orange: The Experience , Milam devoted an entire column to encouraging IPTAY members to contribute to the 110 Society. He wrote that IPTAY "was founded on the notion that many giving some would enable Clemson to better compete with schools with access to significantly greater resources. "For those 90 years, the Clemson Family has generously and selflessly risen to the challenge and given to IPTAY to change countless lives. The mission today remains the same." Fundraising for NIL is more abstract and complicated than generating money for a facility that donors can admire for years to come. And as Clemson attempts to sell the masses on giving NIL contributions on top of what they're already contributing, the messaging is important. Milam, an Atlanta resident who has been highly accomplished in the business world, is at the forefront of IPTAY's attempts to modernize its brand and its strategies. Milam has a bachelor's degree in architecture from Clemson, and an MBA in finance from South Carolina. He is chief executive officer of EmployBridge, America's largest industrial staffing firm. He previously spent more than 22 years with RaceTrac, where he rose to the role of president and chief operating officer. In 2020, Milam was named most admired CEO in professional services by the Atlanta Business Chronicle . He was named a top CEO on Glassdoor in 2021.…
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