While reflecting on the last four months of his life, Ammon Lakip saw the glass as half-full.

In June, Lakip was arrested and charged with misdemeanor cocaine possession and driving under the influence. Dabo Swinney suspended him from the team three weeks later.

The suspension carried through the summer and into preseason camp. It also included a three-game ban.

“The only way this could have been a bad experience was if I didn’t learn from it,” Lakip told reporters on Tuesday. “That’s what I’m aiming to do every day — wake up and be grateful.”

It wasn’t always that clear. At one point during his time away from the team, Lakip thought about leaving Clemson for good, but a number of factors led the redshirt senior kicker to think otherwise.

“I would say belief in myself and then sort of feeling obliged to give back to my team,” Lakip said. “This is a team and a family. It doesn’t take much to see how special this team is. There were definitely questions of quitting and transferring.

“I just wanted to finish what I started.”

Lakip received a “steady flow” of support during his suspension, particularly from upperclassmen like Stanton Seckinger and Jim Brown.

Once he was permitted to rejoin the team, Lakip said everyone on the team welcomed him back with open arms.

So did the head coach.

“He has been a young man I have never really had a problem with, kind of shocking dealing with that situation,” Swinney said. “I feel that he has taken the right path and has grown from it and can finish out with a good senior year.

“I hope that it will be one of those things that will be an asset to him down the road.”

Lakip has already proven himself to be a valuable commodity for the

Tigers in 2015. During Saturday’s 24-22 win over Notre Dame, he forced a fumble on a kickoff, which led to a touchdown for the Tigers.

Greg Huegel will continue to handle field goals and extra-points. As long as those kicks continue to split the uprights, Lakip’s only going to have one job.

Though Lakip would like to kick field goals again this season, he understands that’s tied Huegel’s success. And Lakip certainly doesn’t want to see him fail.

Lakip quoted England soccer legend Alan Shearer when asked about the catch-22 that’s in front of him.

“He said (soccer) is not about scoring goals, it’s about winning, so anything I can do to help my team that’s what I aim to do,” Lakip said. “If that’s just helping Greg, that’s fine. I’ll do kickoffs. I’ll take it.

“I’m going to do everything I can as a backup field goal — I’m going to be the best backup field goal kicker in the nation.”