For a college athlete, gameday is the ultimate prize, the result of hours of preparation. The clichéd “blood, sweat, and tears” have already been spilled, and though it may be difficult work, all that’s left is to endeavor to bask in the glory of victory.
The greatest of athletes find a way to enjoy that grind, to invite the willful punishment that comes to those attempting to become champions. As a player, Eric Mac Lain enjoyed the grind—a major reason why he became one of Clemson football’s principle leaders during its run to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game last season.
Does he miss the grind, though? Mac Lain didn’t hesitate to answer that question during an interview on WCCP 105.5 The Roar in Clemson on Thursday.
“Retirement is sweet,” he said with an equal amount of humor and relief in his voice.
All joking aside, the now-former Clemson offensive lineman—he hates to be referred to as an “ex-player”—says the culture of the 2016 Tigers is being sculpted right now while no one watches, and that’s a good thing.
“I just think that’s a great indicator of how your season will go,” he said, “how hard you work in the summer.”
Mac Lain spent five seasons embedded inside the Clemson program as a member of the team, but his ties to the university go deeper than that. This season, while some of his old teammates attempt to duplicate and enhance the accomplishments of the most recent team, Mac Lain—who has had a Clemson tattoo since before he arrived on campus—will be continuing to pursue his master’s degree on campus. In addition, he will be working alongside some of Clemson’s most prominent athletic leaders, including Deputy Athletic Director Graham Neff and Director of Athletics Dan Radakovich.
“I really felt deep down, as soon as I stepped foot on campus when I was being recruited, that I would want to do something with this university,” he said. “I just was drawn to it. Luckily, I have that opportunity now.”
Even though he is no longer a member of the team, Mac Lain has some thoughts about those who are. Specifically, he sees two players capable of breaking out in 2016. One of them is one of his cohorts on the offensive line, freshman Sean Pollard.
“If he grows and keeps maturing the way everyone says he is,” Mac Lain explained, “then he’s going to be an absolute beast.”
The other is also a candidate to play on the offensive front. Freshman John Simpson first caught Mac Lain’s eye as a high school at Dabo Swinney’s camp, and he feels the young lineman has what it takes to quickly earn playing time.
“The progress that I saw from year to year on the high school level was really amazing,” Mac Lain said. “To see him after a couple of years with Robbie Caldwell and Joey Batson is going to be pretty scary.”
Mac Lain says he is looking forward to watching games as a spectator this season, but he knows the urge to play will hit him at some point. He sees a program in good hands at the moment because of strong coaching and the presence of a plethora of incredible players—more of them, according to the former lineman, than there were when he arrived.
“We’re a proving ground for good talent,” Mac Lain said. “If you have an offer from Clemson, you probably have offers from Alabama, Florida State, Georgia—all those big-time programs.”
TCI’s Clemson preseason magazine is now available. Order your copy of Unfinished Business – An Insider Look at Clemson’s 2016 season today.
