By Will Vandervort.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — The piano just sat in the hall unattended for a few years.

It collected dust mostly and was more of centerpiece in Vic Beasley’s childhood home in Adairsville, Ga. But one day, at the age of 16, the young Mr. Beasley had an epiphany, “I’m going to teach myself how to play this thing,” he recalled after speaking with writers on Sunday at the ACC Football Kickoff at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro, N.C.

And that’s exactly what he did. Now six years later, Clemson’s defensive end has become pretty good at it, well at least he thinks so.

“It is just something I like to do in my spare time to get away from football. Just relax,” Beasley said.

It’s hard to imagine the All-American being the relaxing kind of guy when he is trying to take off the heads of opposing quarterbacks in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Beasley led the ACC with 13 sacks and was second with 23 tackles for loss in 2013.

“I guess playing piano is the most interesting thing about me,” he said with a chuckle.

Beasley says he always gets a look or a raised eyebrow when he sits down in front of a piano.

“I never heard him play until last night,” said Clemson quarterback Cole Stoudt, who joined Beasley in Greensboro on Sunday.

Beasley surprised everyone when he started to play Frank Ocean’s “Thinking about You.”

“He is alright,” Stoudt smiled when asked about Beasley’s playing ability.

Playing the piano on Saturday night was not the first time Beasley surprised someone. He surprised everyone as a sophomore when he burst on the college football scene as a pass rushing specialist. After having little success playing tight end and linebacker, Beasley moved to defensive end in the spring of 2012 as a last resort on what he could do with his athletic ability. Though he weighed 225 pounds, he used his long arms and his speed to get around offensive tackles as he led the Tigers with eight sacks in just 288 snaps.

He expanded his repertoire last season as he put on 10 pounds of muscle and developed better technique, which he used to become more of an every-down end instead of just on third-and-long situations.

Beasley then surprised everyone, again, last January when he decided to return to Clemson for his senior year when most thought he might jump ship and try his hand in the NFL a year early. Now he is the senior leader of a defense which is considered by most to be the strength of the 2014 Tigers heading into the new season.

“A couple of years ago, the offense got all the praise and they got a good bit last year with Tajh (Boyd) and Sammy (Watkins). I mean it was a good offense last year,” Beasley said. “But, our defense was good last year, too. Now we have all those guys coming back so we are getting the praise.

“I feel like losing guys like Tajh and Sammy, that are top notch players, will put the spotlight on us.”

But the spotlight was on Beasley on Saturday night as he played the piano once again. So instead of being called Clemson’s Sack Master, maybe he should be referred to as “Piano Man.”

“It is just something I enjoy doing,” he said.