When Clemson football running back Travis Etienne announced he was coming back, he talked about wanting to set the example for people in his hometown and earn his Clemson degree but he also has a chance to do something only one other player has ever accomplished.
When Travis Etienne finally hangs up his Clemson football uniform, he will do so as the greatest player to ever wear a Clemson uniform. He will one day find himself cemented among the all-time Clemson greats around Memorial Stadium.
As most of us are aware, Etienne is Clemson’s all-time leader in rushing yards and touchdowns – both career and single-season; he has been incredible. His hard work and dedication have been rewarded as he is the two-time reigning ACC player of the year.
When he won the award for the second consecutive year, he joined a very select group of players to have won the award twice. Here are the players that have won the award twice:
- Roman Gabriel (NC State) – 1960 & 1961
- Don McCauley (UNC) – 1969 & 1970
- Mike Voight (UNC) – 1975 & 1976
- Steve Fuller (Clemson) – 1977 & 1978
- Charlie Ward (FSU) – 1992 & 1993
- Lamar Jackson (Louisville) – 2016 & 2017
In the 67 years of the ACC Football Player of the Year award, Travis is one of just seven players to ever win the award twice. Travis has the opportunity to become the first time winner of three ACC Player of the Year awards.
That itself is amazing, but that would also put him in the rare territory with one of college football’s all-time greats – Herschel Walker.
Herschel Walker is the only player in major college football to ever win three conference player of the year awards during his career. If you are unaware, Walker was recently voted as the second greatest college player of all-time behind Jim Brown.
During Walker’s career at UGA, he led the Bulldogs to a 33-3 record and a national title. During Etienne’s first three seasons, he has led Clemson to 41-3 record, including two regular undefeated seasons, a 29 game winning streak two national title appearances and one national title.
No one knows what is in store for his final year in a Clemson uniform, but if his first three years were any indication, it will be nothing short of spectacular. Not bad for an unknown kid that only earned an offer after Cordarrian Richardson decommitted in 2017.