It wasn’t the fairytale ending James Skalski wanted. He wanted to walk off the field at Camping World Stadium Wednesday wearing the MVP belt and celebrating with reckless abandon. Instead, he was wearing a walking boot, but in the true fashion of a team leader, he was celebrating just as hard as he would have had he won the belt. That’s what good teammates and team leaders do.
Clemson’s undisputed team leader and sixth-year senior had to sit out much of the last three quarters of the Tigers’ 20-13 victory over Iowa St. in the Cheez-It Bowl after a plantar injury (foot) ended his collegiate playing career.