CLEMSON, S.C. — CJ Spiller was an All-America running back at Clemson where he would play all four years, capping off his career with being named the ACC Player of the Year in 2009.
A few months later, he was chosen with the ninth overall selection by the Buffalo Bills. That would be the start of an eight-year NFL career. But it was a role as a volunteer track and field coach at Liberty High School that started Spiller on his next role. He would join the Clemson football staff as an unpaid graduate assistant and now he is in his first months as the Tigers' running backs coach.
"I think we always talked about it, even when I was still playing. Before I went off to training camp, we had a father-son type of conversation. Things he feels like I should and could do better as an individual and player, Spiller said.
"As I was getting later in my playing career, (Swinney) always said, 'hey if you ever want to get into (coaching), just let me know'. But he never pressured me. 'When that time is right, we'll talk about it and go from there'.
"I'm grateful he allowed me to come in last year and see if I truly wanted to do it. Sometimes you think you want to do it, but you don't truly know until you get into it. This past year, we had some changes (on staff) and we were able to sit down and (Swinney said) 'hey, you think you're ready? Let's do it'.
"And I was prepared. To me, that's the thing. There's a difference in being ready and being prepared. Everybody is ready. Right? But it takes a special individual to be prepared. I was prepared. I'm still learning, but I'm going to be ready. I'm going to be excited and I'm going to be ready to go."
Spiller's eight year career in the NFL took him to Buffalo for a five-year stint which saw him make the Pro Bowl in 2012. He would then play for the Saints, Seahawks, Jets and Chiefs.
When Swinney shuffled his offensive staff, he moved Tony Elliott from running backs to tight ends and that opened the door for Spiller to come on board as a full-time assistant. Of course, spending a year watching how Elliott ran the running backs room helped him immensely as he is now in charge of that room.
"Being able to sit in Coach Elliott’s room, seeing how he commanded the room, seeing how you run the room and engage with guys gave me a first glimpse of what it would take to be successful," Spiller said.
"He masters knowing how to handle each and every person and each and every personality in the room. I’m always going to be grateful to Coach Elliott for even allowing me to sit in his meetings.”