Clemson’s Veteran Linemen Share Emotional Messages with Teammates

As the Clemson Tigers’ veteran trio of offensive linemen prepares to take the field one last time together at Memorial Stadium, they’ll be without two key members of their unit.

While appearing on the 2 Right Turns podcast, Blake Miller, Tristan Leigh and Ryan Linthicum shared heartfelt messages for senior Walker Parks and offered encouraging words for true freshman Brayden Jacobs. Both linemen are out for the season after being injured during Clemson’s win over No. 20 Louisville.

Miller, a projected first-round pick, explained that as Parks’ best friend and roommate, he’s had a front row seat to the sacrifices that his teammate has made for the program.

“My freshman year, he was a guy I looked up to, and he still is a guy I look up to, just seeing how much he puts into this. Like, there'll be times where I see him after games and he's having to hobble around. But guess what? He's going to be out there Tuesday,” Miller explained. “So just kind of seeing how much he's willing to push through and his will to help the team, and the selflessness that he shows day in and day out, it makes me want to be a better man, better teammate. He's a phenomenal human being.”

Now in his sixth year at Clemson, Parks has had to battle through a heap of injuries since being named a Freshman All-American back in 2020. 

Despite missing time with ankle, rib and leg injuries, he still ranks among the program’s top 10 in career games played with 62.

After earning an All-ACC selection last year following a relatively healthy season, the Kentucky native has found himself back on the injury report for the majority of his final season.

According to Linthicum, Parks has continued to showcase exemplary effort and leadership despite his injury struggles.

“Walker is a true warrior. I don't think he's been 100% for the last three years, but he shows up every game day, bringing the energy, you know, giving his all. It hurts that he won't be able to finish the season, but you know the way he finished. You know, at his home in his home state, playing his dad's rival,” Linthicum said. “On one of the biggest drives we had, we knew he was getting us down there. I'm just so proud of Walker, man. I love him. I get goosebumps just thinking about it, you know, just that I'll never get to play with him again. It's super sad.”

His value stretches far beyond his production on the field. Leigh went on to explain that the sixth-year lineman exhibits all of the key traits a coach would hope for from a leader.

After the upset over Louisville, Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney gave Parks the game ball to recognize his perseverance in a key moment.

“Walker epitomizes what an offensive lineman should be. I mean, just selfless. He's a leader. He plays the game the right way. He's physical, just a tough dude on and off the field. He's always there for you on and off the field. To see him go down, it was tough,” Leigh said. “It's never easy to see that, and especially when it's a guy that's put as much into this as Walker, and you know how much he cares. That's about as much of a deserved game ball as I've seen. He left a legacy. I know he’s impacted me and the guys in our unit.”

That selfless mindset seems to have been passed down to Clemson’s next generation of offensive linemen. 

Unlike Parks, Jacobs still has plenty of football left to play at Clemson, and his teammates are impressed with what they have seen so far.

“He's playing left tackle, and then he got moved to left guard, and he didn't sit and complain about it,’ Miller said. “The selflessness that he showed to do that. I really respect that, and I love that about our group.”

The Tigers face Furman for Senior Day at 4:30 p.m. EST on Nov. 22, broadcast on The CW.

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