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Clemson football: Throwback Thursday – Eddie Geathers

By John Chancey

SYRACUSE, NY - OCTOBER 13: Clemson Tigers logo flag is waived by cheerleaders during the game against the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome on October 13, 2017 in Syracuse, New York. Syracuse defeats Clemson 27-24. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
SYRACUSE, NY - OCTOBER 13: Clemson Tigers logo flag is waived by cheerleaders during the game against the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome on October 13, 2017 in Syracuse, New York. Syracuse defeats Clemson 27-24. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /
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In this edition of Throwback Thursday John Chancey looks at a Clemson football great from the past.

Eddie Geathers – Cornerback, 1977-80

  • RTR 200 Ranking: 157
  • 12 interceptions (tied for 7th all time)

Perhaps Eddie Geathers’ most famous tackle happened on December 29, 1978. Ohio State scored a touchdown to bring the Buckeyes within two points of the Tigers. OSU attempted a two-point conversion, but Geathers and teammate Jim Stuckey stopped quarterback Art Schlichter short of the goal line. Then that other thing you might have heard of happened at the end of the game to help seal the Tigers’ 17-15 win in the Gator Bowl.

You can see the play by Geathers (#49) that helped get Danny Ford his first victory as the head coach of the Tigers at the 2:06:00 mark in this video.

Geathers’ 12 career interceptions is what continues to stand out about his Clemson days four decades later. It puts him at #7 on Clemson’s all-time interceptions list. His career was nicely balanced with 3 interceptions in each of his four seasons with the Tigers.

Geathers’ legacy took a different route, but that didn’t stop Gearthers’ from supporting him in his own path

Today, you won’t find as much about Geathers’ Clemson career as you will about the career of his grandson, Bryan Edwards, who played for South Carolina from 2016-20, and just signed a free agent deal with the Atlanta Falcons. Edwards recalls:

"“Ever since I was a kid, he has always been at my games and trying to coach me up, even if I didn’t want him to. He’s always pushed me to be better, and I always wanted to be like him. He’s someone I look up to and definitely a big role model in my life.”"

While Geathers remained a loyal fan of his Tigers, he supported Bryan as he made his own choices about where to play college football. Edwards said it made no difference to his grandfather: he was always going to be his coach.

"“He was always one of those sideline coaches, one of those parent coaches, who always thought he knew what was best. He knew what was best about 50 percent of the time, but if you asked him, he’d say 100, though.”"

There is no doubt that Eddie Geathers is a family man through and through.

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