For Clemson fifth-year senior offensive lineman Walker Parks, it has been a very long road back to the field from multiple injuries over the past couple of years.
So when Parks made his return to Death Valley in last Saturday’s game vs. App State after suffering a season-ending injury early last season – and thinking that his football career might be over – having that experience in The Valley on Saturday night was certainly a full circle moment for him.
Parks met with the media this week and got emotional while talking about how special it was to be back in Death Valley playing with his teammates in front of the home crowd.
“It’s really hard not to get emotional, honestly,” he said. “Because my journey coming to play here, like, there was just so much that went into it. Looking at everything that led up to it – like going through high school, I used to watch the games with my friends, and I was like, ‘I always want to play there and be a part of that.’ And then seeing that it was almost done…”
Parks paused, holding back his emotions, then continued.
“Seeing that it was done, just before the way that I wanted it to end, because I didn’t really get to finish the way I wanted to,” he said. “Obviously football’s a very physical game, and you never really get to decide when it’s over with. It could be over any day. But realizing how important it is and how fun it is, because I think oftentimes – if there’s any other college athletes watching this right now – how quick it can be taken from you.”
A former four-star prospect from Kentucky and ESPN Freshman All-American in 2020, Parks suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Clemson’s second game of the 2023 season against Charleston Southern last September.
The year prior, in 2022, the 6-foot-5, 305-pounder started all 13 games that he played in, then missed the following spring while recovering from a torn ankle ligament injury that he played through during the 2022 season but eventually required surgery.
After his latest injury in 2023, Parks admittedly questioned whether he would play football again, and understandably so.
He didn’t take playing football for granted before his injuries, and he certainly isn’t taking it for granted now – and he couldn’t be happier to be back on the field with the Tigers, healthy again.
“I love football, I love Clemson – I would play here for 20 years if they would let me. Obviously my body does not have 20 years of college football in it. I don’t think anybody does,” he said, laughing. “But, if there was no eligibility, I would stay here forever. It’s impossible to describe the feeling of being able to do all that stuff and the privilege that it is. … Before the injury and understanding how special – and don’t get me wrong, I never took it for granted, I always loved it – but I didn’t truly understand how important it is and how much of a privilege it is.
“And even just to run out there and play with your friends. Like standing on the sidelines all last year, being hurt. … Just the fact of being able to work through it and get through it over the past year and go through camp and then play the first two games and pray that I stay healthy and work to stay healthy and play the rest of the season – it’s incredible. Absolutely full circle, because where I was at a year ago couldn’t be farther from where I’m at today. I’m very blessed and very thankful for that.”
Local News
Comments / 0