By Ray Glier – for The New York Times Jan. 5, 2017 CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson safety Van Smith drives a BMW, but the car is long past its days as a ride of luxury. It is a 1999 sedan with 300,000 miles on its odometer. Like many college students, Smith holds his breath every time he turns the key in … Read More
The New York Times: High School Recruits Think Twice About Signing Letters of Intent
By Ray Glier – for The New York Times February 13, 2015 MONTEZUMA, Ga. — In a crowded gymnasium at Macon County High School on Feb. 4, Roquan Smith, one of the top high school linebackers in the country, picked up a U.C.L.A. hat and put it on his head, signaling his intention to play for the Bruins. Smith, however, did … Read More
The Georgia State University Magazine: First Down and Miles
By Ray Glier – for The Georgia State University Magazine Fall 2013 Issue The rebranding of the Georgia State football program started like this: At 6:07 a.m. on Jan. 14, a Monday, the first day of winter workouts, seven players arrived at the weight room door to find the Little Bald Man blocking the entrance. “You’re late. You can’t come … Read More
CNN: College football’s ‘David and Goliath’
By Ray Glier – special to CNN January 25, 2013 One moment, Garrett Gilkey was standing on his big stage. The next moment, he was being plowed under it. There was a small crater in the turf where the 314-pound Gilkey tried to dig in his cleats and stop the charge of John Jenkins, a 359-pound defensive tackle from the … Read More
The New York Times: Matt Ryan Displays New Trust in Receivers and Himself
By Ray Glier – for The New York Times October 13, 2012 FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — There is a declaration of a quarterback’s skill that is typically uttered around Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning and Eli Manning. It is being heard now around the Atlanta Falcons’ Matt Ryan, who seems on the verge of jumping onto the … Read More