‘This is special to me’: Jadeveon Clowney humbled by USC jersey retirement

Jadeveon Clowney was a star before he set foot on the campus at the University of South Carolina.

Clowney, a Rock Hill native, lived up to the hype as No. 1 overall recruit in the nation and shined for Steve Spurrier as the Gamecocks enjoyed the greatest stretch in school history. He was honored for his standout three college seasons Saturday as the school retired his No. 7 jersey.

Now a defensive end for the NFL’s Cleveland Browns, Clowney was on hand Saturday for the halftime ceremony. The Browns begin their season next week. He said he was approached by USC over the last few years about possibly receiving the honor.

Clowney’s No. 7 will stay in use, however, as the school no longer retires numbers. He became the fifth South Carolina football player to have his jersey retired — joining receiver Sterling Sharpe (No. 2), offensive lineman Mike Johnson (No. 56), running back Steve Wadiak (No. 37) and Heisman trophy winner George Rogers (No. 38).

“George Rogers is a Heisman Trophy winner. And for me to be up there next to a Heisman Trophy winner, it’s phenomenal especially for me and my family,” Clowney said. “This is special to me and my family. I just wanted to represent my last name the best I could do. It is a blessing and an honor.

Clowney touched on a variety of subjects during a 15-minute interview with reporters Saturday, including the impact he still has on the program, something he didn’t envision happening despite his notoriety coming out of high school.

Clowney was a five-star prospect from South Pointe High School in Rock Hill and remains the No. 1-ranked player in the history of 247Sports’ recruiting rankings.

“I can’t say that when I was coming up I would have thought anyone would want to be like me,” Clowney said. “I always just played for fun. ... I used to tell the story, my mom said, ‘This is what you need to be doing.’ I just did. I was just a kid in the back yard playing football growing up. I just kept playing and it got to where I am today.”

Clowney was selected No. 1 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. He has played on four different teams and is a three-time Pro Bowl selection with 41 career sacks.

Head coach Shane Beamer (then a USC assistant) and former defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward were two of Clowney’s main recruiters in high school. Beamer reflected on Clowney’s impact on the program earlier this week.

“Very rarely do you have a guy that’s the number one player in the country, and then goes to college and ends up being the number one draft pick as well after his college career,” Beamer said.

Clowney helped lead USC to three 11-win seasons from 2011-13. He was named to three All-SEC teams and won the SEC Defensive Player of the Year award in 2012. He was a two-time All-American first-team player and won the Ted Hendricks Award in 2012, given to the nation’s top defensive end.

Clowney also known for the “The Hit” when he drilled Michigan running back Vincent Smith and Smith’s helmet went flying in the 2013 Outback Bowl. He won an ESPY for that in 2013 for “Play of the Year.”

But that wasn’t the only memory he referenced Saturday. He talked about his strip sack against Tennessee, which was the same game that Marcus Lattimore injured his knee. He also talked about the 2012 game against Clemson in which he had 4.5 sacks.

“I miss college football. Much rowdier than the NFL,” Clowney said. “It’s crazy. It’s like a true brotherhood in that locker room. I felt like that chip on my shoulder was a lot different at that time, because of the guys in that locker room.”