Lawrenceburg is home to the Tigers and a Clemson football Tigers’ fan
Heralded 2017 quarterback recruit Hunter Johnson decided to leave his home state of Indiana to sign with the Clemson football team and coach Dabo Swinney, and he’s not the only person from the Hoosier state that fell in love with the Tigers from Death Valley.
Johnson rose to stardom at Brownsburg High and about two hours away is the city of Lawrenceburg. Lawrenceburg is also near Cincinnati(34 mins).
The city with an estimated population of about 5,000 loves its Lawrenceburg Tigers on football Friday nights and no one loves them more than Dennis Payne. Payne is not only a fan, but he is an alum and a volunteer coach.
Dennis Payne, Amy(wife), and kids. pic.twitter.com/o23tFjKKGu
— Tyreese ingram (@reesetigers) May 22, 2017
Payne was born in Cincinnati and moved to Lawrenceburg at about the age of three and has called the city his home for more than 50 years.
He obviously has an eye for tigers, because there is a college team with the same nickname that has caught his eye too.
In a town where most college football fans follow Ohio State, Michigan, or Notre Dame, he has become a Clemson football fan. “I’m a big college football fan. I like their(Clemson) style of football. I was really impressed with the way that they ran their offense and their program,” he stated. “That’s what caught my eye.”
But he’s not the only one in his family that is fond of the Tigers from South Carolina. His 8-year-old grandson Zion, also from Lawrenceburg, has done something that Grandpa would love to do and that’s visit Clemson. Zion camped there last year and is likely making another trip this summer.
Although absent from the trip, Payne did get a Clemson t-shirt from his sister. Before that shirt, he purchased all of his Tigers’ gear online.
However, on a recent vacation to the South Carolina coast, he was able to pick up more gear. Gear that he now wears proudly in Lawrenceburg. “I have had so many people ask, when they see me with my Clemson gear on. Are you a fan”? Payne said. “I just laugh and say, yeah, all day, everyday.”
— Tyreese ingram (@reesetigers) May 23, 2017
Even when Clemson beat Ohio State 31-0 in the Fiesta Bowl, the native Ohioan was ‘All In’ for his Clemson Tigers. “None of us at work, have anything to do with Ohio State or anything like that,” said Payne. “When they played, I was a Clemson fan. I was like, yes, come on Tigers. Do your thing.”
Lawrenceburg isn’t just similar to Clemson because it’s a small town and home to the Tigers, but the Tigers halted a 30 plus year drought from a championship game like Clemson did in its 45-40 heartbreaking loss to Alabama. Lawrenceburg High until this past season hadn’t been to a state championship game since 1985. After going 13-1 which was also Clemson’s 2016 record, they fell to Fort Wayne Concordia 56-14.
Along with looking forward to coaching his son Javier at Greendale Middle. Payne will try to help Lawrenceburg get back to another 3A State Championship.
Dabo Swinney once said, “……by gosh, everybody knows who that paw is.” And that even reigns true in a city where another paw is king. With Dennis Payne repping both paws, both Tigers will live on in this Indiana town.
“I love the game, Payne said, “I have Tiger Pride anyway and I’m a Tiger for Life.”
He hopes his next trip to the Palmetto state will include a visit to Tigertown, so he and Javier can rub the rock.