Wide Receiver Hunter Renfrow has become an integral part of this Clemson offense and he and his teammates will face a tough Alabama defense on Monday.
Before coming to Clemson, Renfrow was an option quarterback and a baseball player at Socastee High School. He excelled at both and had scholarship offers for each sport, but he took a chance on himself and now he has a chance to win a national championship.
I recently spoke to his dad, Socastee Athletic Director Tim Renfrow and his former coach Doug Illing about Hunter, Socastee, and the big game.
In 1981, you played against Clemson’s national championship team and now you get a chance to watch your son try to help them win a second one. Could you have ever imagined this scenario?
Tim Renfrow: No, I never really thought about it until it started happening. It’s exciting, but it’s something that you just don’t think about.
Is Hunter your first former athlete to compete for a national championship?
Coach Illing: Yes, without a doubt. He’s the first to compete for a national championship. It’s exciting. You know you always talk about championships in our program. You want to win a state championship. But to be a part of something like that-it’s very few times in life that you get a chance to do that. Man, to have someone that’s there and going through that experience is pretty cool. When he has some down time, I can’t wait to be able to pick his brain. I would like to see what it’s like, how they prepared, and did they do anything different. On that level, how do you prepare for Alabama and for the national championship. What can we take from that and use on our level.
Was there any point during the season where you felt like there is something special happening here?
Renfrow: I thought as early as the Louisville game. When they beat them on that Thursday night because Louisville has a good team. Then they beat Notre Dame. It just started building from week to week. They always had a lot of teams shooting for them and each time they rose to the occasion. It just kept building and building.
What do you think about Clemson being #1, undefeated, and still looking for respect?
Renfrow: I think it works to Clemson’s advantage. They have an edge or a chip on their shoulder when people pick against them. I don’t know what it is. Dabo’s a good man and tries to do things right and is up front with everything. Maybe, they are jealous-I don’t know what it is. Let them keep picking against them, because they keep winning.
You have coached Hunter. Have you guys have any coaching sessions this season? Do you offer any input after games?
Renfrow: No, Hunter’s mentality has always been to help the team. And he realized as the season went along that he would get opportunities and just capitalized on them. I always pick him about the players. Just like Watson(Deshaun), I ask him does he have favorite receivers and he said he throws it to the open man. He’s just been very positive about those teammates and how good a group they are. He also talks about how good the culture is-he never says anything negative about any of the guys.
With Hunter having such a good year at Clemson, how has it been at Socastee?
Renfrow: The teachers and faculty are all so supportive. Hunter was great and well liked in high school. He’s not a terrible kid and he tries to do things the right way. They have all been appreciative of what Hunter’s done and we appreciate the way they have treated us through the whole process. Even the South Carolina fans have been supportive.
Has Hunter’s success had any affect on your current players, especially since he took a chance on himself and walked on at Clemson?
Coach Illing: It has a tremendous affect on our school. We talk about him a lot. We talk about dreaming a lot. You got to have a dream. You got to chase a dream. That has to be your motivation and you have to wake up every morning with your dream in the palm of your hand and be willing to do whatever it takes to chase that dream and everybody has a different dream. You just continue to work as hard as you can to achieve that dream. He had a lot of other opportunities to go to other places but his dream was to go to Clemson to play football. He has worked really hard at chasing that dream and good things have happened to him, because he worked hard at it and; kept doing the right things in life and waited on his opportunity. Yeah, we talk about him and use him as an example and will continue to talk about him. What a great story.
Socastee retired Hunter’s number 7. He’s not only the first football player with that honor, but the first athlete in the the school’s 125 year history to have a number retired. What a great honor?
Renfrow: It’s special. I didn’t have anything to do with it. They told me that they were going to do it. It just happened to work out that he was coming home and they were having a basketball pep rally on that Friday. We appreciated it and it was a special time.
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I know the students, Clemson fans, faculty, and others swarmed him for pictures.
Renfrow: That’s one of the things at Clemson. I think Clemson is one of the only teams in the nation that still allow their fans on the field after the games. That’s just something that Coach Swinney prepares his kids for and it is part of the culture. They got to take that time to thank the fans. The kids come out and want pictures and autographs. Swinney and Clemson do a good job of letting the players know that this is what it is all about-giving back to the fans. I think it’s a positive thing.
Both Coach Illing and Tim Renfrow have watched Hunter play this year and are enjoying his journey at Clemson. It doesn’t surprise them when they hear that he is a hard worker and that Clemson offensive coaches say that he is one of the most knowledgeable players on the team. His time as a quarterback and playing for his Dad, who has been around sports for over thirty years helps. But Illing also attributes his ability to grasp things and learn quickly, as key components to him excelling at a new position.
One word is repeatedly used when Coach Illing talks to his kids about Hunter Renfrow, “Dream.” He is living out his dream just like his head coach, Dabo Swinney-but the dream isn’t over. Dabo walked on at Alabama and won a national championship as a player and his dream to win one as a coach could come true on Monday night.
More tigers: Clemson will beat Alabama. There, I Said It.
Both former walk-ons have heard what they couldn’t do, so hearing that Clemson can’t beat mighty Alabama doesn’t faze them. If Clemson wins, then Illing will have another dream to sell, Tim Renfrow will be an even prouder dad, and Socastee gets an alumnus with a national championship.