Last January, Christian Wilkins decided to return to school one more year and join his defensive line teammates Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant. At the time, he envisioned returning to Clemson and helping the Tigers win a second national championship in three years.
Now the senior finds himself four quarters away from such an opportunity on Dec. 29, as Clemson plays Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff Semifinals at the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas.
But until he gets to AT&T Stadium and plays the Irish, Wilkins will surely take in the accolades he has received in the last couple of weeks.