Spiller's historic season fueled Clemson's return

By Cobb Oxford

For the AJC

CLEMSON, S.C. – As Clemson’s season-changing six-game winning streak continued to grow, so did the legend of C.J. Spiller.

Spiller, who turned his back on the NFL last spring to return to Clemson for his senior season, has simply done it all for the Tigers.

While putting up Heisman Trophy-worthy statistics on the field, Spiller, a 5-foot-11, 195-pound native of Lake Butler, Fla., also has encouraged his teammates and helped lead the Tigers from a 2-3 start to a trip to the ACC Championship game Saturday in Tampa.

Spiller has set 26 school records. He is the only Clemson player to ever produce 100-yard games four ways – rushing, receiving, punt returns and kickoff returns. He is also the first player in ACC history and the fifth player in FBS history to reach 7,000 all-purpose yards. He has more career all-purpose yards than three previous Heisman winners – Tim Brown of Notre Dame, Desmond Howard of Michigan and Reggie Bush of Southern California.

Spiller’s 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open last Saturday's South Carolina game set a national record for kickoff returns for touchdowns with seven.

Spiller is the only player in FBS to score a touchdown in every game this season.

“Nobody has practiced harder, nobody has sacrificed more and nobody is more ‘all in’ than C.J. Spiller,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “This guy does it right on the field and off the field. He has been a leader and has given his teammates every ounce of what he has had all year long. He has been the first guy in the locker room to encourage his teammates.”

Yet for all that, something is missing from the resume: an ACC title. Would that validate his tenure in Tiger Town?

“I mean, people remember champions and that’s one of the reasons I came back for my senior year, is to try to win the championship game,” Spiller said Monday. “That’s something that hasn’t been done here in 18 years and I want to try to help this team accomplish that.”

In two of Clemson’s biggest victories this season, Spiller put together Heisman-like efforts. He had 310 all-purpose yards against Miami and a school-record 312 against Florida State.

“I doubt if anybody in the country is playing better than him,” Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said. “I look at the running back at Alabama (Mark Ingram) and he is mighty good, but Spiller is such a dynamic player. The happiest I was during the game was when he was off the field because I knew he couldn’t get the ball. We talked all week about the wheel route and he runs it one time at about 90 miles per hour for a touchdown.”

Prior to the Coastal Carolina game on Oct. 31 when Spiller essentially took the week off, he had at least one play of 60 yards or more either from scrimmage or on a return over Clemson’s first seven games. Six of the seven plays went for touchdowns. Against Miami, he had a 90-yard kickoff return, a 56-yard scoring reception and a 48-yard run.

“He has done some great things for us,” senior tight end Michael Palmer said. “The things he’s doing on the field are extremely special.”

Spiller has been doing all of this good work with a bad foot. He has a nagging turf toe injury that receives daily treatment consisting of ice and stretching and he wears a special steel insert in his right shoe. After games, he receives an injection to dull the pain.

“I really don’t feel the pain until after the run,” Spiller said. “During the run, I’m not worried about it. I can tell when it’s hurting.”

Playing through pain has earned Spiller even more respect from his teammates.

“I’ve never ceased to be amazed by the plays he makes,” offensive guard Thomas Austin said. “The way he has gone about it not being a hundred percent has been even more amazing to me. We knew he was a Heisman candidate. It’s good to see him finally get the recognition that he deserves.”

In the past, Spiller has been a quiet leader, preferring to let his play do the talking. But this season, he has come out of his shell and become more vocal around all of his teammates.

“He really didn’t talk much the first three years,” Palmer said. “When he started talking this year, it took a lot of guys by surprise. Talking hasn’t been in his character for the most part, but this year he has really stepped it up.”

Palmer says Spiller does a lot for the team that goes unnoticed.

“He’s really been an encouraging guy,” he said. “He has done a lot of things for our team both on and off the field. He is one heck of a player, to say the least.”

Senior wide receiver Jacoby Ford has teamed with Spiller to set the national career record for all-purpose yardage by teammates.

“He [Spiller] means a lot to this team,” Ford said. “He’s been carrying a big load. He’s been a big part of our success this year. He’s been doing a great job on special teams. He’s scored in every game. Nobody else has done that this year.”