Leaping Hurdles Nothing New for Clemson's Bryant

Leaping Hurdles Nothing New for Clemson's Bryant

By Brant Long

MIAMI SHORES -- Despite the ease with which he hauls in the big pass or outruns safeties, it  hasn’t been the easiest road for Clemson junior receiver Martavis Bryant. The Calhoun Falls native has had to leap his share of road blocks as well as defensive backs on a journey that now seems destined for the NFL.

Photo courtesy Clemson University

Bryant has been one of quarterback Tajh Boyd’s top targets the past two seasons and will be relied on for more big plays tonight as the No. 12 Tigers face No. 6 Ohio State in the Orange Bowl in Miami. It may be the last game of his Clemson career as many have Bryant rated a potential second round NFL draft pick. He is expected to announce his future plans after tonight’s game.

His former high school coach, Kenya Fouch, said he isn’t sure which way Bryant is leaning. But he is sure of one thing: when his time comes, he’s going to turn heads.

“He’s going to destroy the the NFL Combine,” Fouch said. “This is a 6-5, 210-pound guy who can run in the high 4.3s and broad jump near 11 feet. He’s going to catch the eye of a lot of NFL guys. You can’t coach pure, God-given talent and he’s completely eaten up with it.”

Bryant grew up amongst friends and family in Calhoun Falls. But instead of suiting up for the Blue Flashes for his prep career, he ended up at T.L. Hanna in the first of a few twists he would face before getting to Clemson.

When the Abbeville County School District decided to close Calhoun Falls High School and consolidate it with other district schools in 2008,  Bryant, a freshman, had a choice to make. He decided to follow Fouch, then Blue Flashes head coach, to Hanna, where he grew into a sought-after wide receiver prospect.

While his standout career at Hanna helped propel him to collegiate success, to this day he still regrets not being able to finish his high school career as a member of the Blue Flashes.

“That’s my home,” he said following Orange Bowl practice earlier this week. “I would’ve really liked to have finished there and played in front of my friends and family. But it wasn’t meant to be.”

Bryant put up stellar numbers at Hanna with more than 2,200 yards receiving and 22 touchdowns in three seasons and quickly became a prized recruit. Following a successful senior season, he was selected and played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and represented S.C. in the Shrine Bowl. Yet despite all the attention, he still wanted to go right up the road.

“I’ve always been a Clemson guy,” said Bryant, who was Clemson’s first commit of the 2011 recruiting class. “That’s the only place I wanted to go.”

“He could’ve gone just about anywhere,” added Fouch, “ but his mind had been set on Clemson since day one. We encouraged him to see some other places just to have something to compare it to. He was exposed to them but, in the end, Clemson always had a special place in his heart.”

Everything seemed set for Bryant to make an immediate impact for the Tigers under coach Dabo Swinney. But the closing of his hometown high school years earlier resurfaced with another issue. Despite getting the grades and test scores he needed to join the Tigers, Bryant was denied eligibility by the NCAA because he was deemed a half-credit short of the required high school courses. The class in question was a freshman math class at Calhoun Falls that he, Fouch and others thought was worth a full credit. To the NCAA, though, it was worth only half. Despite appeals, he was unable to enroll at Clemson.

“Evidently, the math class was just worth half a credit and no one knew,” Fouch said. “There was supposedly paperwork that could’ve supported that but nobody could come up with it, and (the NCAA) needed written proof.

“It felt like everybody was looking for answers at that time but nobody knew who to ask. It was really unfortunate for him. The ball got dropped somewhere. But I’ve been really glad to see how he’s bounced back.”

With the help of Clemson and his family, Bryant found a temporary home at Hargrave Military Academy where he excelled on the football field and maintained his grades. After a year, he was headed to Clemson for real.

“There are plenty of kids who get to junior college or prep school and never make it out,” Fouch said. “I give his family a lot of credit. They were there and helped make it happen. The coaching staff at Hargrave and everyone kept him kept him playing and healthy. It’s tough when you have a dream deferred like that. But he never saw it that way. He worked right through it.”

It hasn’t been all roses in Clemson. There were some self-induced stumbling blocks for Bryant last season. He missed classes and practices and was suspended for the Tigers’ Chick-fil-A bowl win. But he’s returned in 2013 a changed student and player. Yet to miss a class or practice this season, he has hit his stride, turning into the big-play receiver Swinney knew he could be.

He was named honorable mention All-ACC this season with 39 catches for 800 yards with a staggering average of 20.4-yards per catch. For his career, he is averaging 22.9 yards per reception, the best mark in Clemson history among receivers with at least 30 catches and second in ACC history.

“I just had to focus,” he said. “I wasn’t doing what I was supposed to. Now, everything is all good and I can concentrate on playing the best I can.”

Swinney and the Tigers will be hoping for another breakout game from Bryant similar to this year’s contest against Georgia Tech, when he finished with 176 yards receiving including a 76-yard TD catch from Boyd. That performance earned him conference receiver of the week honors. He’d like nothing more than to earn a few more accolades in Miami.

“I’m ready to play. Playing in a big bowl like this for Clemson is something I dreamed of,” he said. “Now I have my chance.”

Fouch couldn’t be happier for Bryant.

“The fact that he’s getting ready to line up in big game against a premier program like Ohio State, and he’s a major factor and a kid they’re talking about. I’m so proud of that kid,” Fouch said. “He’s earned and deserved everything that he’s achieved. He’ll do good things Friday and on into the future.”

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 ©Brant Long. 2014. For reprint or reuse permission, contact eblong@gmail.com.

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