Reggie Merriweather

Reggie Merriweather has a rather indelible memory of being recruited by Clemson.

Tommy Bowden and assistant Rick Stockstill stopped by his home in North Augusta on a Sunday. 

As the two coaches and the Merriweather family watched NFL football, Bowden took off his shoes and propped his feet on the coffee table.

"My mom didn't like that," Merriweather said. "She asked him to please take his feet off the table, and then they were out the door soon after that."

Merriweather ended up going to Clemson, and he views that choice as central to his becoming the man he is today. He works in construction and is in his seventh season working for the Clemson Radio Network as a football analyst.

Merriweather reflects on the balance between his loyalty to his alma mater and many friends who are on the coaching staff, and his desire to speak the truth during some difficult moments -- including the late-game play-calling on offense in Clemson's overtime loss to Florida State last month.

Merriweather said he has a habit of throwing his headsets in the booth during some of the more confounding moments, and he said he's tossed them quite a bit over the past two-plus seasons.