Clemson to Induct Spiller into Ring of Honor Pregame on Oct. 19

CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson Football will honor one of the most dynamic players in school history on Saturday, Oct. 19, when it inducts former running back C.J. Spiller into the Clemson Ring of Honor before kickoff.

Spiller’s selection for the honor alongside track and field’s Kim Graham-Miller was announced by Clemson Athletics on July 1. Graham-Miller, an Olympic gold medalist and four-time ACC athlete of the year, will be inducted at halftime.

The Ring of Honor is the highest award bestowed by Clemson Athletics. Recipients must have made an outstanding contribution to the heritage of Clemson Athletics, must be a member of the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame and a graduate of a four-year institution for consideration.

Spiller, a native of Lake Butler, Fla., joined Clemson as a running back in 2006 and embarked upon a superlative career that resulted in his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021 in only his second year of eligibility.

Over his career, the two-time All-ACC selection set the NCAA record for career kickoff returns for touchdowns with seven, and his 7,588 career all-purpose yards still rank third in NCAA history. That total remains an ACC record and ranks first all-time among power conference players.

As a senior in 2009, Spiller earned unanimous first-team All-America honors, including a first-team selection as a kick returner and second-team selection as a running back according to the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF). Spiller became the first player in history to be named as an All-American at two different positions in the same year by the WCFF.

That year, Spiller also became the first player in ACC history to record more than 1,000 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving. He set an ACC record for all-purpose yards with 2,680, a mark that still stands today. He finished sixth in the voting for the 2009 Heisman Trophy.

Spiller was also an All-American in track in 2008-09 and was a member of the 4×100 relay team that finished third in the nation in the spring of 2009. Following his collegiate career, Spiller was a first-round draft choice (No. 9 overall) by the Buffalo Bills in 2010 and went on to an eight-year NFL career. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2012 in recognition of his more than 1,700 yards  from scrimmage that season.

Spiller, a 2008 All-ACC Academic Team selection, earned his degree from Clemson in December 2009, garnering a standing ovation from the Clemson University Board of Trustees during his commencement. In addition to his selection into the College Football Hall of Fame, he was inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame in 2020 and into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021. He is presently in his fourth season as Clemson’s running backs coach.