Note: The following appears in the Georgia Tech football digital gameday guide, available HERE.
Graduate cornerback Myles Oliver has spent his five years at Clemson doing more than playing football or obtaining his degree. He has spent the time working on himself.
After a high school career filled with all-state and all-region honors in Georgia, Oliver’s time in Clemson was quickly hurt by injury battles like he had never experienced. For a different player, it may have spelled the end of his time in football. For Oliver, though, it spelled only the beginning of a transformation.
“Battling through that stuff, it taught me that I'm resilient. It feels like I can do everything in my life, on and off the field, better now after getting through those injuries.”
Oliver was able to lean on his family throughout the whole process. He comes from a football family, where his dad is one of his greatest inspirations. His cousin, Michael Carter II, who played at Duke and in the NFL, was also someone he could find strength in during any tough moments.
Before Clemson, Oliver played high school football at Douglas County High School for Head Coach Johnny White. Oliver credited White as a mentor, a father-figure and someone who has pushed him to be the best he can be.
According to Oliver, White is similar to Head Coach Dabo Swinney, who has stated his intention to coach boys into good men, not just good football players. The similarities between the coaches he grew up with and the Clemson coaching staff drew Oliver to Tigertown and steadied him here through the trials of dealing with different injuries.
“I have a really good relationship with all the coaches here. They care about you both on and off the field. Everyone on the coaching staff pushes me to be my best self.”
It is not just the coaching staff that has made Oliver’s Clemson experience special. The relationships in the facility, locker room and the defensive backs room have all been key components of being a Tiger.
“The camaraderie amongst my teammates and I has been the best part of my Clemson experience. Being here and making lifelong friends that I know I will invite to my wedding, those kinds of relationships have been the highlight. My relationships with my teammates are very important to me.
“I have met so many people I still talk to, even if they're not here anymore after graduation or getting drafted. I’ve built such a close bond with them, especially by doing events outside of football.”
Fostering the relationships off the field is what allows the magic to happen on the field. Despite having fought injury battles for the majority of his time at Clemson, Oliver does not lose sight of the ultimate goal…to win football games.
“For the rest of this season, on the field, I hope we finish out, win out the rest of the season, go to a great bowl game, win the bowl game and have fun while doing it, enjoying the moment.”
Oliver is certainly enjoying the moment. After earning his bachelor’s degree in May, he is spending his last season in the orange and purple reflecting on what exactly being a Tiger has meant to him.
“It has meant a lot because coming to Clemson is not an easy thing to do. It's a prestige program. Not many people get into Clemson. Around the country, when you say you go to Clemson, people instantly react. It is a prestigious place, for academics and for sports.”