(1896, 1899): Walter Merritt Riggs, from Orangeburg, SC, graduated in 1892 from what would become Auburn University before accepting an engineering professorship at Clemson in 1896. His experience as a footballer at Auburn naturally led him to lead the formation of the first football team at Clemson, which he did during his first year on campus.
Coach Riggs is therefore credited with laying the foundation of Clemson football. He is recognized for the adoption of Clemson’s team nickname and mascot (Tigers) and its colors (orange and purple, though the date of appearance for that particular combination is debated historically, with some memories citing red and blue as the first team’s colors, others remembering orange and a faded-almost-purple-blue as the color of the fledgling team’s ragged first uniforms.