“Don’t ever let anything be ordinary; ordinary is average, normal, usual and commonplace.” It’s an adage that Jim and Candace Brown live by. And on Dec. 3, the Brown family solidified that notion, committing an extraordinary gift to support IPTAY and Clemson Athletics. The commitment is the largest in IPTAY history and among the largest in University history. The gift will support several areas of Clemson’s Athletic program, including football and basketball. “Since I was a small kid, it’s always been the people at Clemson that are special - the way they connect and care about one another,” said Jim Brown, whose family has been a Cornerstone Partner. “We raised our children going to Clemson Football games, and the atmosphere - the friends you make - it’s a mini-family reunion seven times a year. The thing that’s most special is the people and the family connections. It’s hard to describe in words when you are there, and the education and opportunity Clemson
Note: The following appears in the Miami football gameday program.Being heavily recruited out of high school, Clemson fans were excited to watch defensive tackle Bryan Bresee emerge on the gridiron in 2020. Bresee was the No. 1 recruit in the country, receiving offers from most of the top programs.He did not disappoint when he began his career at Clemson, as he earned freshman All-America honors. His decision to play at Clemson was an easy one.“I was drawn to Clemson because of the people.the coaching staff, teammates and everyone around the facility. There are really good people all around who I knew would take good care of me.”Bresee started his football career at Clemson strong with 33 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, two pass breakups, a caused fumble and a safety in 432 snaps over 12 games (10 starts). Unfortunately, he suffered an ACL tear in the game at NC State in September 2021. That injury kept Bresee from playing the rest of the 2021 season until he returned to
Note: The following appears in the NC State football gameday program. My mom and dad came to the Upstate for the 1992 ACC Baseball Tournament in nearby Greenville. On the way from the parking lot to the stadium on Saturday afternoon, my dad tripped on a rock, fell on his left arm and broke it. What a way to start a vacation. But fortunately, the Clemson Family came to the rescue. When my dad made it to the stadium in some real pain, I sought out Clemson Athletic Trainer Fred Hoover. “Doc” immediately ran some arm movement tests he had probably done on 1,000 Clemson student-athletes over his 30 years (at the time) in charge of the athletic training needs. He said we needed an X-ray and guided us through the entire process. That process included going to see Dr. Larry Bowman, who was early in his Clemson career as the team orthopedic surgeon. Both men could not have been nicer to my dad, who had never broken a bone in his body. Hoover checked on my dad the entire week he was at Clems
Note: The following appears in the NC State football gameday program. Clemson has always had a storied tradition of great linebacker play that has haunted opposing backfields. From Levon Kirkland to Anthony Simmons to the program’s first Butkus Award winner, Isaiah Simmons, the Tiger defense has been spearheaded by great linebackers for many decades. This year is no different with Trenton Simpson leading one of the most talented linebacker rooms that Dabo Swinney has had as head coach. In 2021, Simpson tallied 78 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and six sacks on his way to an All-ACC selection by Pro Football Focus and Phil Steele. This past offseason, Simpson moved from playing on the outside, where he thrived as a hybrid linebacker and excelled in coverage and in run defense, to the inside, where he believes it will help him take the next step in his career development. “Moving into the box, I let my speed takeover and play ball. It is all about reaction and trusting my keys, reading