Tradition Spotlight: Clemson Running down the Hill

From Southern Fried Football by Tony Barnhart (2000)

"ABC broadcaster Brent Musberger once termed it "the most exciting twenty-five seconds in college football." About ten minutes before kickoff, the Tigers leave their locker room under the west stands and are bused around Memorial Stadium to the east side of the stadium, where a grassy hill about one hundred feet long leads directly onto the playing field. At a given signal, a cannon is fired, the band plays "Tiger Rag", and the team charges down the hill as the crowd goes wild. The tradition began in 1942, and for all but 15 home games since, the Clemson team has run down the hill. For the record, Clemson is 6-9 when it doesn't run down the hill before a game, 189-65-7 (73 percent) when it does. In 1966, touching Howard Rock at the top of the hill officially became a part of the pregame ceremonies."

"Howard's Rock: Mounted on a pedestal o a grassy hill at the east end of Memorial Stadium, this rock from Death Valley, California, was given to Frank Howard, Clemson's legendary coach from 1949 to 1969. Howard wanted to throw the rock away, but one of his assistants covinced him to deep it. Looking for something to motivate his team, Howard brought out the rock prior to a game with Virginia in 1966. He said the players could touch the rock for good luck, but only under a few conditions. "I told all them that was going to give me 110 percent that they could touch my rock and if they weren't going to give me 110 percent, keep your filthy hands off my rock."

I was fortunate enough to attend the A&M-Clemson game last season (shout out to Brandon), so I have seen this tradition in person and it is a goosebump moment. The fans sitting in the South side upper deck can see the buses come around the corner, and start going crazy when they first appear. We were sitting in the North side upper deck, and by the time we realized what was going on, the first players were at the top of the hill, and the entire stadium was going nuts. The only disappointing thing about the tradition is that Clemson's cannon is very small and is carried on what looks like a two-wheel dolly. After the game, fans are allowed on the field and are allowed to touch the rock. I felt it was a great opportunity to see what is was like to run down the hill, so when I saw an opening, I rubbed the rock and became apart of a great College Football tradition. The rock does have magical powers because on the way out, I rubbed Howard's Rock again and asked for a Texas win over Ohio State the next weekend. I gave 110% next week and the Horns won.