I have a message for all the young athletes out there who aspire to one day be All-Americans or All-Conference performers in their respected sports. Don’t be afraid to talk to the sports media. Talking to the media and allowing us to get to know who you are, and your personality, is a good thing.
Granted, it is your play on the field that will first get everyone’s attention, but how you carry yourself and how you relate to the media can only enhance your opportunities as well.
Case in point, Clemson offensive lineman John Simpson. On Thursday, Simpson was named a consensus All-American, meaning he was named a first-team All-American on at least three of the five All-American teams recognized by the NCAA. The five All-American teams are the Associated Press (AP), American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Sporting News and the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF).
Simpson, who played left guard for the Tigers, was named a consensus All-America by earning first-team honors from the WCFF, Sporting News, AFCA and the FWAA. He also collected a second-team selection from the AP.
With the exception of the AFCA, the majority of the voters in the other All-American teams are from the media.
Why is Simpson a great example?
This past July, Simpson was introduced to the national media, for really the first time, when he represented Clemson at the ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte.
Remember, Simpson plays on the offensive line. Usually, the only time an offensive lineman is recognized by the media or the fans on the football field is when something bad happens, like giving up a sack or allowing a defensive lineman to blow up his running back or something.
The biggest complement to an offensive lineman on the football field is to not be noticed. If he isn’t talked about during the game, it means he is doing his job and is doing it well.
So, before the ACC Football Kickoff, most in the national media had never heard of John Simpson. But when the 6-4, 230-pound guard came on radio row with a blonde Trevor Lawrence wig on, everyone wanted to know who John Simpson is.
Dabo Swinney deserves credit for the idea. Clemson’s head coach told us, the local media, a few days before he bought the wig and planned to have Simpson wear it in front of the media since so many in the national media were complaining that Lawrence was not selected to represent the Clemson offense at the event.
Swinney asked us to keep it quiet, which we did. When Simpson came out wearing the wig everyone wanted to get a shot of him. Everyone wanted to talk to him. His was all over Twitter and the rest of social media and ESPN.
Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) throws a pass while offensive lineman John Simpson (74) makes a block on Syracuse defensive lineman Josh Black (85) during the first quarter at the Carrier Dome. Simpson’s play on the field was the main reason the Clemson left guard was named a consensus All-American on Thursday. (File photo by Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports)
By the time Simpson was through talking to ESPN, the Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, the AP and Sirius XM Radio, everyone knew who John Simpson was.
Now, of course, it was up to Simpson to make sure they remembered him from that time on, which he did by having a stellar season which earned him First-Team All-ACC honors.
With the North Charleston native leading the way, Clemson’s offense enters the Fiesta Bowl against No. 2 Ohio State ranked in the top 10 in the nation in yards per carry (6.46, first), total touchdowns (81, second), yards per game (547.7, third), first downs per game (26.8, third), points per game (46.5, fourth), yards per play (7.51, fourth) and rush yards per game (252.9, 10th). His versatility as both a run blocker and pass protector helped Clemson exceed 200 passing yards and 200 rushing yards in 10 of its 13 contests this season, one such performance shy of the most by any FBS team since 2000.
Simpson is the sixth Clemson offensive lineman to earn consensus All-American honors all-time, joining Harry Olszewski (1967), Stacy Long (1990), Jeb Flesch (1991), Stacy Seegars (1993) and Mitch Hyatt (2018). The consecutive selections by Hyatt and Simpson in 2018 and 2019, represent Clemson’s first back-to-back consensus honors on the offensive line since Long and Flesch accomplished the feat in 1990 and 1991.
So, you see, the media is not all bad and using the media in the right way, can go a long way in helping you achieve your athletic goals.
Oh, by the way, Clemson safety Tanner Muse represented the Clemson defense at the ACC Football Kickoff. He earned AP All-American honors. Of course, it helped that he had 65 tackles, (5.0 for loss), 2.0 sacks, five pass breakups and a team-leading four interceptions. But being friendly to the media did not hurt his chances.
Clemson is back in the College Football Playoffs once again. Get the latest official Clemson CFP gear right here!
