Rivalry Week: Q&A with former Clemson QB Nealon Greene.

Clemson’s sophomore quarterback Deshaun Watson established himself as a starter last year and he has become one of the best in college football. Before he leaves Clemson, he will probably own most of the passing records and move past players like Charlie Whitehurst, Woodrow Dantzler, and Nealon Greene. Watson has already eclipsed Greene on the total passing touchdown list and he did it against Syracuse. Watson has 40, Greene 37, and he could likely pass Dantzler(41) today at South Carolina.

Nealon Greene doesn’t mind if Deshaun Watson breaks all the records and continues to pass him along the way because he is a fan of Watson. Greene quarterbacked the Tigers from 1994-97 and rooting for Watson comes easy for him. It’s not just because he played the same position but also because he knows how tough it is to start as a freshman. Greene left Clemson as a four year starter and as one of the best quarterbacks in school history.

What brought you from Yonkers, NY to Clemson, SC?

The recruiting process was with Coach Rich Bisaccia(Running backs, Special teams). He was originally from Yonkers and he started out with South Carolina. Clemson wasn’t really on my radar yet, coming out of high school. I was really set on Syracuse. Coach Rich got released from South Carolina and somehow got picked up by Clemson. It was so weird because one week he told me how good it would be at South Carolina and then the next week, he’s telling me that Clemson is it. It’s a whole different atmosphere, family oriented-just take a visit. Just off the strength of him being from Yonkers and knowing some of my family members. I took his word for it and once I got there Dexter McCleon, Brian Dawkins, Darnell Stephens helped with the process of me signing on.

Being from NY, had you ever heard about the Clemson/SC rivalry?

Not at all. I knew about the teams and rivalries, but I didn’t know about specific ones. It’s hard to judge a southern sport because in New York the rivalries are more basketball. I had never been to an atmosphere that had a rivalry of football like that and on that level.

Once you got to Clemson, could you see how heated the rivalry was?

Ah, man it was heated. You could tell just walking around because there are some South Carolina fans in the Clemson area. I knew how deep it was when I saw all the big banners and people saying little slick stuff. Then there was a whole week of trash talking with the guys in the papers. But you knew, just from hearing stuff from the previous guys that you better get your mind right this week. This is the week!!

You were 2-2 against South Carolina and you never lost in Columbia but you never won in Clemson. How was that like?

It was so weird. But it’s something that we always laugh about as far as, we never beat them at home. It always haunts me that I just wanted one. I could be 3-1 against them. I hated leaving .500 against them. It’s always something I thought about.

The 1997 game was your last one versus South Carolina and you won 47-21. How gratifying was that victory?

I was just happy that I got the last laugh. I didn’t get the first laugh because I lost my first game against them. But I left Clemson going to a bowl game. Having to win that game and to win in that fashion. We were losing at the beginning of that game and we turned it around in the second half. Tony Horne’s punt return for a touchdown ignited everything. Antuan Edwards was moved from safety to corner that week and he had two picks. He took one to the house, Horne scored and then another pick. It was like rapid touchdowns, one after another-what a way to go out on your senior year. That was one thing that we talked about at halftime-I’m not losing like this. Just fighting for each other. It was the epitome of Clemson and those guys that year.

What made that game memorable?

I think it’s more memorable now looking back at it on Youtube. I see former teammates like Brian Wofford(rest in peace), Mal Lawyer, and Rod Gardner who went on to do big things in the NFL. So you never know who the gems were that were left behind you to carry on that Clemson tradition like Woodrow Dantzler and Coach Brandon Streeter who is down there coaching and carrying on that Tiger flame.

As a former college and professional quarterback, what do you think of Deshaun Watson and do you have any advice for him?

I see nothing but greatness. I see a lot of potential and week to week growth. That is what you want to see in a quarterback. He gets challenged and he steps up. As a quarterback, you have to get where the game slows down. I started as a freshman against Florida State and everything was fast. Their defense was already fast and you have your reads, getting what play you have to call, the crowd noise-your mind races. Film study and game experience really contribute to slowing the game down for quarterbacks. We spend more time in meetings than we do running with guys, but of course we do that as well. He(Deshaun) just has to find that neutral place where nothing gets to be too much-not even the Heisman talk. He has to stay focused because people are telling him how great he is now. I think the coaching staff does a great job of getting that focus from him. He should just let things come to him and enjoy the moment. That’s the only thing I could tell him, but he’s playing great football if you ask me.

I know you finished up your Canadian Football League career in 2006. What are you doing these days?

I’m a Director of a Residential Treatment Facility for troubled inner city teenagers. I help to provide a stable foundation in their everyday life activities from school, family, and community. I have sent 9 kids to college who had no desire for education and continue to create programs to help shape the mind for Success.

I also have a clothing line- “BBG” stands for Bigger.Better.Greater which is a movement, a way of life, and how we should live as people. We also have college tours for athletes, feed the homeless services, and volunteer recreational teams that we also promote through this movement.

Next: A Clemson Football Fan's TV Guide to Rivalry Week

Nealon Greene will be watching the Palmetto Bowl today in New York and I’m sure he will think back to his games against South Carolina, especially the victories. He got one as a sophomore and the other as a senior. Deshaun Watson will have his chance to win as a sophomore as well and ironically in Columbia just like Greene.

New York is his home but he was destined to be a state of South Carolina football player. South Carolina was probably his likely destination if it wasn’t for that coaching change by Rich Bisaccia to Clemson and that change was good for Nealon and Clemson football.

These days he spends his time enjoying his job, cheering on the #1 team in the country, and most importantly raising his three boys and three girls.