Note: The following appears in the Stanford football gameday program.
During high school, Wise Segars Jr. garnered offers from the likes of Furman and Davidson along with interest from Ivy League programs, but instead he chose to pursue a walk-on spot at the school for which he grew up cheering.
Segars’ high school career saw him make stops at Wilson Hall in Sumter, S.C., then he transferred to A.C. Flora High School to lead the Falcons to the playoffs in 2019. But when his parents had a job opportunity arise in the Upstate, Segars enrolled at D.W. Daniel High School for his senior season in 2020.
His final stop saw him change positions from a quarterback who earned an invite to the regional Elite 11 as a junior to a running back who led the state champion Lions in carries, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns as a senior. His versatility attracted eyes throughout the region, but his sights were set on one program.
“I really didn’t want to play if I couldn’t play here,” admitted Segars on his choice to walk on at Clemson. “It was an easy decision.”
He has not looked back since.
Segars grew up a Tiger fan and around the program, as he attended games his entire life. However, he remarked that getting to put on the pads and touching Howard’s Rock in front of 85,000 fans is like nothing else. Segars made his first trip down the Hill in 2021.
“There’s no feeling like running down the Hill for the first time, and it never gets old.”
A longtime season ticketholder, Segars has been a fan of the program that he has followed since he was born. Orange blood runs deep in his family, as his parents, sisters, cousins and grandparents all attended Clemson.
As a walk-on, Segars has had to earn every opportunity he has received. He earned his stripes on the scout team while redshirting in 2021. As a redshirt freshman in 2022, he made his college debut against Louisiana Tech. In 2023, he received his first opportunity to carry the ball.
Against Charleston Southern, Segars rushed three yards for a first down, one of 37 for the Tigers that game.
“I was not supposed to go in the game. I ran out there, then Coach (C.J.) Spiller called me back off. But the next play, he put me back out there.”
Segars received the play call, an inside-zone play on fourth down.
“I saw that hole and knew I had to get three yards, so I reached the ball over and got the first down.”
This past offseason, like previous ones, Segars invested a lot of time into becoming the best player he can be. He poured himself into getting stronger, faster and leaner, which has led him to perform better against the best competition in the country.
During fall camp, he had a tremendous scrimmage with several long runs against a defensive unit that has consistently ranked among the nation’s best.
“Results showed in the way I played. I was making cuts more fluidly and I was seeing the field better. It was really cool with all those guys who are four and five-star recruits and I’m a walk-on, and I was able to make some plays.”
Earning a walk-on spot for the team he grew up cheering for has meant the world to him and has driven him to “get better as a man, not just as a player.”
Being at Clemson is like nowhere else, and there is nowhere Segars would rather be.
