[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 11, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H311-H312]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CONGRATULATING CLEMSON UNIVERSITY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
South Carolina (Mr. Duncan) for 5 minutes.

[[Page H312]]

  

  Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, in the history of mankind, 
civilizations have turned to sports as a means of entertainment, as a 
distraction from the routines of everyday life, a great way to spend 
time with friends and family. Whether it was the gladiators in the 
coliseums of Rome, the jousting in the Middle Ages, or college football 
today, it is a great form of entertainment.
  I rise today to honor and recognize Clemson University, the 2016 
college football national champions. The coaches are to be commended--
from Dabo Swinney and his coaching staff, the team he has put together, 
the men of character that he builds, and I will mention some of those 
shortly; President Jim Clements; athletic director Radakovich; the 
students of Clemson; and, most importantly, the fans, a 35-31 victory 
against Alabama.
  It has been 35 years since Clemson won the national championship in 
1981. That is a special national championship to me because my brother 
John was on the national championship team in 1981. Danny Ford, Coach 
Ford, was the coach when the 1981 national championship team was 
inducted, recognized in the College Football Hall of Fame the very 
night, Monday night, of this year's national championship.
  The connections between the University of Alabama and their football 
program and Clemson University's football program are numerous. Danny 
Ford played football for Bear Bryant. He coached the national 
championship in 1981. Dabo Swinney, current head coach at Clemson, 
played for Alabama. Dabo was a walk-on at Alabama. It has been 110 
years since Clemson defeated Alabama, 1905.
  I am not taking anything away from Coach Saban and the Alabama 
Crimson Tide. What a great football program they have in the great 
State of Alabama. They fell to a very good Clemson football team on 
Monday night.
  Deshaun Watson, number 4, he was the difference. He is the best 
football player in the Nation with 420 yards passing, 36 for 57; total 
offensive, 511 yards. Watson was the MVP of the national championship 
game. Ben Boulware was Clemson's defensive MVP of the game.
  But I want to give a special shout-out to a unique individual, Hunter 
Renfrow, number 13, who caught the winning touchdown pass at the end of 
the game with 1 second left. Hunter Renfrow, a walk-on at Clemson, like 
his head coach, Dabo Swinney, a walk-on who earned a spot, ultimately 
catching two touchdown passes in this national championship game, two 
touchdown passes in the 45-40 loss last year, a walk-on.
  Both ends of the spectrum, a five-star quarterback, number 4, Deshaun 
Watson, arguably the best quarterback in the Nation, throwing to the 
other end of the spectrum, a walk-on. What a great story.
  I want to give a shout-out to the coaching staff, specifically Dabo 
Swinney, and to Deshaun Watson for both recognizing that their talents 
and that team's specialness came from Almighty Creator God.
  Clemson is special to me. I am a 1988 graduate. I played walk-on at 
Clemson 1984, 1985, and part of 1986. Part of Hunter Renfrow's and Dabo 
Swinney's stories that you can be a walk-on and ultimately succeed is 
one that we should take away from this great game.
  So my congratulations, standing here on the floor of the United 
States House of Representatives, representing the Third Congressional 
District, home of Clemson, South Carolina, home of Clemson University, 
and now home of the 2016 college football national champions, the 
Clemson Tigers. I am proud to be here and say, ``Go Tigers.'' 
Congratulations, Clemson.

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