It’s Rivalry week and the Palmetto state is ready for the annual battle. Clemson football is 11-0 and #1 in the country and South Carolina is 3-8. Even though the two teams’ seasons are on opposite ends of the winning spectrum, fans can expect the players to fight for state supremacy.
One player who knows a little bit about the rivalry is Columbia native and former Clemson Tiger receiver Airese Currie. Well maybe he knows more than a little bit. I talked with the former three time All-ACC track and field performer about Clemson and his experiences with the Palmetto Bowl.
Q. Did you ever think about going to South Carolina?
Airese Currie: Although I took an official visit to South Carolina, I didn’t seriously consider going there.
Q. Why was Clemson the choice for you?
Currie: Clemson was my school of choice because along with myself, Tymere(Zimmerman) and Roscoe(Crosby) we decided to keep the talent in state instead of going out of state. During that time Clemson was the obvious choice, because Carolina was awfully bad. If it wasn’t for that I would have ended up at UGA.
Q. You were 3-1 in rivalry games. After losing your first and only one in 2001, how was that offseason like in Columbia?
Currie: My one and only loss to Carolina wasn’t too bad that off season. Simply because we felt like they got lucky that season. We genuinely felt like we had better talent and was the better program. It was motivation to not let it happen again. No one wants to hear trash talk from your rival for 365 days lol.
Airese Currie with former Clemson teammate Todd McClinton. They are both members of the A.C. Flora High School football staff. photo courtesy of Airese Currie.
Q. The 63 points in the 2003 game in Columbia was the most points scored by one team in the series. You weren’t healthy going into that game. Was there any chance that you weren’t going to play?
Currie: Going into the 63-17 win there was never a chance that I wasn’t going to play. I practiced the whole week and I felt good.
Q. After catching the 28 yard touchdown pass to make the score 14-0. Did you feel like you guys had control of the game and could you have ever imagined it being so lopsided?
Currie: After my 28 yard touchdown, I felt very confident about coming out with a dub(win). Based on how wide they played their safeties off the hashes that game, the final score was no shocker either. I remember saying to myself, there is no way they are going to leave the middle of the field wide open like this all night with the speed that we have. But they never made any adjustments.
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Q. One of the low moments of the series was the Brawl of 2004 and unfortunately you witnessed it. I know those games can get heated or any game can, but could you feel that something was going to happen?
Currie: As far as the brawl goes, the end result wasn’t a surprise. First off they met us at the bottom of the hill (flat out disrespect). Also, the refs allowed cheap shots to go on the whole time up until things erupted in the 3rd quarter.
Q. How did you feel about the negative national attention it received?
Currie: The negative publicity was bad because we weren’t allowed to go to a bowl game that season. And that was a huge disappointment for myself and the rest of the seniors.
Q. Best moment from the series?
Currie: The best moment from the series was Justin Miller and Gerald McCloud directing the Tiger band while the game was going on in the 63-17 win at Willy Brice. And scoring my first collegiate TD as a freshman at Willy Brice.
Q. Worst thing you heard from Gamecock fan directed at you or a teammate?
Currie: Personally, I never experienced or heard any Gamecock fans directly disrespect myself or any of my teammates.
Q. Is there anything you want to say about your former teammates, co-offensive coordinators Tony Elliott and Jeff Scott?
Currie: Tony Elliott and Jeff Scott do a great job with the play calling. I feel the calls really cater to the specific athletes we have.
Q. Give me a score prediction for Saturday.
Currie: 49-17 Clemson. Go Tigers!!!
Next: Clemson vs South Carolina: Who Has the Advantage?
Currie finished his career with a superb senior year. He had 61 receptions, 868 yards, and 2 TDs. He was subsequently drafted in the fifth round(2005) by the Chicago Bears. Currie is currently coaching at A.C. Flora High in Columbia, SC, so he just can’t get away from the rivalry.