CLEMSON – Clemson took down Manhattan 13-1 Tuesday, but the meeting in Doug Kingsmore Stadium was about far more than the game on the field.

Tigers royalty reunited as Jaspers head coach David Miller returned to the place he first made his mark. From 1993-95, he played under Clemson Athletics Hall of Famer Jack Leggett and was an All-American during his tenure.

Leggett got to see Miller again, one of the many great players he coached during his historic career. It was a full circle moment to see him in the other dugout.

“I’ve always thought the most important part of my job when I was coaching was to create relationships and to be able to have the relationship I had with David and the other players who played with him in that time,” Leggett told The Clemson Insider.

Before the game, Clemson went through its normal routine announcing the lineups but took a moment to honor Miller. Head coach Erik Bakich came to meet him at home plate and the Tigers faithful gave him a warm welcome with applause.

“It was 30 years ago and it just warms your heart that he’s so accepted when he came back and like we did for him when we brought out the lineup today,” Leggett said.

Miller’s coaching career is an underdog story at his stops. He took over La Salle’s program in 2017 and had two losing seasons before COVID hit the country.

Following the short year, Miller had a massive turnaround and led the Explorers to a 32-win season,  a program record to go alongside a tied record with 15 wins in the Atlantic 10. Miller’s efforts earned him Coach of the Year in the conference and he spring-boarded into a 33-11 season in one year at Penn State Abbington.

Manhattan hasn’t completed a season with a winning record since 2012 and Miller hopes to change that trend during his tenure. It’s an uphill battle but Leggett believes it’s one that he will win. Take the word of the Hall of Fame coach for it.

“He’s going to do a really good job with his team before it’s all over,” Leggett said. “He was thrown into the fire at Manhattan and they have a lot of disadvantages compared to most schools but he’ll turn those into positives like he did at La Salle and just good to see him. I really think he’ll do a good job before it’s all over.”