Spiller has Proper Perspective to Make it in Coaching
C.J. Spiller understands that with his new profession, an expectation certainly follows.
After all, Clemson's newest running backs coach set a standard with the Tigers during his playing career, which took him into a successful run in the NFL. Spiller has played the game at the highest of levels and left his mark on the game as a whole.
So he gets it.
"Obviously, you know, people saying since you played the position you're automatically just going to be great at it," Spiller said. "I know that. I understand that, but you know there's still a lot of things that I have to learn from a coaching standpoint."
That perspective is already serving him well. Spiller was a unanimous All-American at Clemson and a recent inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame. He went on to be a first-round draft pick by the Buffalo Bills and spent nine seasons racking up yards for five different NFL teams.
Somewhere along the way, though, Spiller found that coaching is his "calling." What that means isn't exactly clear when it comes to career aspirations.
"I'm gonna just take it one day at a time. Honestly, you don't want to sit here and jump the gun and say, 'Hey, I want to be this I want to be that,'" Spiller said when asked how far he wants to go in the coaching profession. No, I'm just taking it one day at a time and you know wherever it is this path leads, this journey leads, that's where it leads and I'll be ready to go but right now for me I'm just trying to learn how I can be the best position, running back coach I can be."
Humble answer from a guy who's already had so much success in the game. He's willing to start at the bottom and work his way to the top instead of coming into college football thinking he already knows everything.
That's a pretty good approach to move up the ladder. Spiller already sounds like a veteran when addressing the media. You wouldn't know he just joined the program less than a year ago as a grad assistant.
Regardless of whether Spiller becomes a head coach or works in the NFL or remains an RB coach his entire career, the Clemson legend already appears perfect for the role he's playing.
"I don't want to jump the gun ahead and start thinking about other things I'm just trying to think about, you know, how can I be the best version of myself right now in this moment to give my guys the best opportunity to go out and be successful," Spiller said. "But, I mean, that is a great question and, you know, you do have dreams about other things but at the moment I really honestly haven't really thought about, you know, how far I want this thing to go. Honestly, I've just been taking it one day at a time and I'm just not gonna continue to just do that."
