Every once in awhile a truly well-rounded individual comes along. Steve Fuller was a scholar, an athlete, and a fine representative of his community. That combination made him one of the most decorated athletes in Clemson history and the reason he was inducted into the Clemson Ring of Honor in 1994. He was also the first Clemson football player in history to have his jersey number (4) retired.
Fuller, a native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, graduated high school with a perfect 4.0 grade point average in a class of more than 800, crowning him class valedictorian. He had offers to go pro in baseball out of high school and had a basketball scholarship offer at North Carolina.
Right away Steve produced a preview of what Clemson fans should expect from him over the course of the next four years. He was named ACC Rookie-of-the-Week in his first collegiate game, gaining 194 yards of total offense against Tulane. During his sophomore year, Steve gained further recognition by being name ACC Back-of-the-Week after the Tennessee game and by being named to the All-ACC Academic Team.
Fuller demonstrated exceptional leadership during his junior and senior years, both on and off the field. Highlights on the field include leading the ACC in total offense for both years and being selected twice as the ACC Player-of-the-Year, the only two-time selection in Clemson history.
Equally impressive were the team accomplishments, as Fuller quarterbacked Clemson to two consecutive Gator Bowls, Clemson's first bowl appearances in 18 years. In 1978 Clemson posted an 11-1 record and ranked sixth in the final AP poll, then the highest final national ranking in Clemson history.
Fuller earned the Gator Bowl MVP Award his senior year (1978). He was the South Carolina Amateur Athlete-of-the-Year during his junior season. The Atlanta Touchdown Club named Fuller the Back-of-the-Year in the South in 1978 and he was also named the South Carolina Player-of-the-Year his junior and senior years.
At the conclusion of his senior season he was also an AP third-team All-American. Another great athletic feat for Steve Fuller included finishing sixth in the Heisman Trophy balloting, the highest finish for a Clemson athlete in history. Likewise, he set several Clemson records. It's no wonder he was a first round draft pick (23rd selection) by the Kansas City Chiefs.
He played 10 years in the NFL and won a Super Bowl Championship ring with the 1985 Chicago Bears.
Off the field, Fuller illustrated his joint dedication to academics and community service. He was named to the All-ACC Acedemic Team for three years and twice named Academic All-American, including a first-team selection his senior year.
Fuller is one of just two football players in Clemson history to be named an on-field All-American and Academic All-American in the same year. He majored in history (pre-law), which was not an easy route to take, and maintained a 3.93 grade point average. His push for excellence earned him an NCAA postgraduate scholarship, the Jim Weaver Award from the ACC, and one of the NCAA's Top Five Awards. He delivered the acceptance response for himself and the four other winners. |
