C.T.E. and a Loved One’s Death Haunt a Clemson Player’s Family

“When he’s on the field, I can tell it’s Nolan without even looking at his number,” Myra said. “He walks like Kevin, he runs like Kevin. …” She stopped and began to cry.

Clemson Coach Dabo Swinney understands. “Every time I look at Nolan,” he said, “I feel like I’m in 1989 all over again, because they’re spitting images of each another.”

Swinney and Kevin Turner were teammates and close friends at the University of Alabama, often arriving together at Raymond and Myra’s recreational vehicle after games to eat grilled meat and drink beer. As Clemson’s interim head coach in 2008, Swinney lured Kevin into briefly being an “emergency grad assistant” for a bowl game.

After Nolan’s senior season in high school in Vestavia Hills, Ala., he had opportunities to walk on at Alabama and Clemson, but had only one scholarship offer as signing day approached — from Alabama-Birmingham.

Clemson, though, ended up scrambling to fill positions when four defensive backs decided to leave early for the N.F.L. Swinney quickly landed three new defensive backs before he looked at a videotape of Turner. He then called Turner’s high school coach, who assured Swinney that Nolan could keep up at Clemson. Next Swinney showed the video to defensive coordinator Brent Venables, who said: “I like this guy. Where is he?”

Swinney flew the next day to meet with Turner and offer a scholarship.

“I told Nolan, here’s what’s going to happen,” Swinney said. “We’re going to offer you a scholarship and everybody’s going to say it’s a pity party, it’s only because of your dad, blah, blah, blah. Now, it is because of his dad, in that I had a relationship. But he got a scholarship because he’s good.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/11/sports/nolan-turner-clemson.html?emc=rss&partner=rss