Re: Hill Watch...38 days!!!

TE/WR Joseph Davis Blalock (1939-1941) is Clemson’s first two-time All-American. He was also a true multi-sport athlete.

While at Clemson:

According to ClemsonTiger.com:

“Joe Blalock was Clemson’s first two-time All-American in Clemson sports history. Blalock was a star wide receiver for the Tigers from 1939-41 and was an All-American in 1940 and 1941.
Longevity of a record is certainly a testimony to someone’s greatness. While Joe DiMaggio was setting his incredible 56-game hitting streak in 1941, Joe Blalock was ending his Clemson career with a 20.34 yards per reception record, a mark that still stands today.

For his Clemson career, Blalock had 38 catches for 773 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also found time to rush 35 times for 143 yards and even completed a pair of passes on end-around plays for 45 yards. He played in 28 games in his career, 26 as a starter. Blalock was the first receiver in Clemson history to have a 100-yard receiving game. He had 105 yards in three catches vs. Wake Forest in 1939.

A fine all-around athlete who also played basketball at Clemson.”

https://clemsontigers.com/greatest-players-of-the-20th-century/

Very impressive!!

Wikipedia adds that Blalock “was selected by both the Sporting News and the Central Press Association as a first-team end on the 1941 College Football All-America Team. He was also selected by the United Press as a second-team All-American in 1940.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Blalock

After Clemson:

The Detroit Lions selected Joe Blalock with the 35th Pick (5th Round) of the 1942 NFL Draft. (Of note, the 35th Pick would now be a high 2nd Round selection.)

ClemsonTigers.com adds the following:

“In 1973, Blalock was inducted into the Clemson Hall of Fame as a charter member, then was chosen to the Clemson Centennial Team in 1996.”

https://clemsontigers.com/greatest-players-of-the-20th-century/

According to Wikipedia, he passed away far too young:

He died of a respiratory ailment in 1974 at age 55.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Blalock

TigerNet adds that Blalock was “Ranked as Clemson's #16 football player of all-time by a panel of Clemson historians in 1999.”

https://www.tigernet.com/clemson-football/news/look-clemson-historic-photo-175-joe-blalock-36342

Special thanks to Scott Ryhmer and The Tiger Pregame Show for the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAwJeTnAic8

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38 - Pittsburgh Steelers Select Levon Kirkland with Pick 38 of 1992 NFL Draft

Jul 24, 2024, 12:06 AM

One of Clemson’s All-Time Greats! LB Lorenzo Levon Kirkland (1988-1991) terrorized opponent offenses!

While at Clemson:

ClemsonTigers.com described Kirkland’s Clemson career as follows:

“Kirkland recorded 19 sacks, 40 tackles for loss and seven fumble recoveries for the Tigers. He was a standout on Clemson’s No. 1-ranked total defense in 1990 and was named as a Butkus Award finalist that season. One year later, he finished third on Clemson’s No. 1 rushing defense and was a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award in addition to collecting first-team All-America honors from Kodak/AFCA, Sporting News, Scripps Howard and Walter Camp in addition to second-team selections by UPI and Football News.”

https://clemsontigers.com/staff/levon-kirkland/

Sports Illustrated adds the following:

“Levon Kirkland (1988-1991)
A 1991 All-American, Kirkland was a force for the Tigers with 274 tackles including 40 tackles for loss and 19 sacks. In 1989 he was named the Gator Bowl MVP. He helped lead Clemson to a pair of ACC championships and four top-20 finishes.”

https://www.si.com/college/clemson/football/clemsons-5-best-nfl-careers

After Clemson:

ClemsonTigers.com describes Kirkland’s NFL career as follows:

“Upon his graduation from Clemson, Kirkland embarked upon one of the most decorated NFL careers by a former Tiger. A second-round draft pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1992, Kirkland was a two-time All-Pro selection and two-time Pro Bowler in 1996 and 1997. He played 11 seasons in the NFL, including nine years with the Steelers and one each with the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles.

Over his 11 NFL seasons, Kirkland accumulated 1,029 tackles and recorded six seasons with at least 100 total tackles over 176 career regular season games with 155 starts to earn a selection to the NFL’s 1990s All-Decade Team. He also played in 13 playoff games including Super Bowl ###.”

https://clemsontigers.com/staff/levon-kirkland/

The Greenville News adds:

A two-time Pro Bowler who was named to the NFL’s 1990s All-Decade Team, Kirkland totaled 1,023 tackles and 19½ sacks, but remains most proud of his 11 career interceptions.
“I had more interceptions than that, but they don’t count ones made in the playoffs, so I think I had about 15,” Kirkland said, laughing. “Most people would never guess it, but I loved dropping into pass coverage.

"I loved interceptions, I loved catching the ball. If you’re an inside linebacker and can make a lot of interceptions, you can make a lot of money.”

https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/sports/college/clemson/2023/06/05/clemson-football-levon-kirkland-college-hall-of-fame-pittsburgh-steelers-nfl/70290444007/

After his playing days, Kirkland has stayed in football. According to ClemsonTigers.com:

“Kirkland has coached in various capacities at multiple levels of football, including at the high school level in South Carolina, as a defensive coordinator at Florida A&M and as an outside linebackers coach with the Arizona Cardinals. He has also served as an educational speaker for the National Collegiate Scouting Association to teach student-athletes nationwide about the college recruiting process.

Prior to returning to Clemson, Kirkland served as Vice President of Development for the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame. The native of Lamar, S.C., was a 2008 inductee into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame and a 2017 inductee into the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame.”

https://clemsontigers.com/staff/levon-kirkland/

ClemsonTigers.com describes Levon Kirkland’s current role at Clemson:

“Levon Kirkland returned to Clemson in December 2023 as Clemson Football’s Name, Image & Likeness Coordinator.”

https://clemsontigers.com/staff/levon-kirkland/

A true Clemson Man in Every Sense!

Thanks as always to Scott Rhymer and the Tiger Pregame Show for these Dark Territory Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAWyRc061Ck

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Clemson: Academic Excellence! Athletic Excellence!

Hill Watch...38 days!!!