Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier took the time to speak up on behalf of former USC defensive end Jadeveon Clowney recently. After undergoing surgery to fix his sports hernia Spurrier vouched for Clowney, quelling the myths about his work ethic and dedication. The rookie Clowney, who was just drafted number one by the Houston Texans in May, is taking time to recover from his groin injury during the off-season so that he will be ready to go during training camp.
University of South Carolina's head football coach Steve Spurrier seemed to have a peculiar relationship with stand-out defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. At times he seemed removed from the star player in interviews, perhaps to assert that he prefers a strong team image rather than the idea of "superstars".
But this week, Spurrier made it clear that Clowney, while missing time due to injuries and missing stats due to being double-teamed most of the time, insisted on participating in his junior year even though he was told by many people to bide his time and wait for the NFL to come a-knockin' (via NFL.com):
"'Jadeveon didn't even have to play last year,' Spurrier said. 'A lot of people advised him to sit out. He wanted to play.'"
Hopefully, Spurrier's comments carry a lot of weight with doubters and critics of Clowney who think he's lazy (via NFL Spin Zone):
"...Concerns over his work ethic were unfounded. He drew the ire of fans for missing time last season, as some believed he gave up on South Carolina and only had his eyes set on the NFL.
"This is, in general, a solid endorsement for Clowney, though he doesn't need it at all now that he's poised for stardom."
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