Chad Smith saw his years of patience pay off and reaped the fruits of his labor last Saturday night when he was named the Defensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl after recording 12 tackles (0.5 for loss) during Clemson’s 29-23 victory over Ohio State in Glendale, Arizona.
Smith, a fifth-year linebacker, had to wait his turn before finally earning a starting role in his final season. So, he was naturally emotional as he stood on the podium and accepted the individual award after more importantly helping the Tigers advance to their second straight national championship game.
That moment on the big stage made all of Smith’s hard work and countless hours grinding away on the football field worth it.