Through the years, Clemson Football has had countless All-Americans and All-Conference players to help it become one of college football’s best programs.

With that said, who wore their number the best? Clemson has retired just three numbers it is proud history. Steve Fuller’s No. 4, C.J. Spiller’s No. 28 and Banks McFadden’s No. 66. However, the Tigers have had many decorated players wear those numbers and more.

Who wore what number the best? We continue our series with who wore No. 9 the best at Clemson.

In this case, Travis Etienne is still wearing the No. 9 jersey for the Clemson Tigers. Granted, some other excellent candidates came before Etienne who also wore No. 9, Wayne Gallman, Justin Miller, Dexter McCleon and Dexter Davis to name a few.

But as good as those four were, and they all went on to play in the NFL, none of them had the career Etienne is currently having at Clemson. Not only is Etienne a First-Team All-American, but he is also the reigning two-time ACC Player of the Year, a mark only the great Steve Fuller has accomplished as a Clemson Tiger.

A few weeks back, former Clemson Sports Information Director Tim Bourret tweeted Jim Brown, Herschel Walker, Bo Jackson and Archie Griffin were named the top four players in college football history in conjunction with the 150-year history of the game last fall. Bourret tweeted, Etienne has more touchdowns (62) and yards per rush (7.8) than all four of those great running backs.

Despite playing in what Dabo Swinney added up to four less games in each of the last two years because Clemson has run over its ACC competition, Etienne has rushed for a Clemson record 4,038 yards the last the three seasons. And he has done it in just 518 carries.

Etienne’s 7.8 yards per carry currently ranks first in ACC history and he already owns the ACC record for rushing touchdowns (56) and total touchdowns. He is also just one of seven players (one of two at Clemson) to win ACC Player of the Year honors twice. He has an opportunity this season to be the first player in league history to win the award three times.

In his first three seasons at Clemson, Etienne is averaging 1,346 yards per season on the ground. If he matches his season average, it will put him near 5,400 career rushing yards. That would shatter Ted Brown’s all-time ACC record of 4,602 yards which he set from 1975-’78 at NC State.

The 5-foot-10, 210-pound running back is just 565 yards shy of breaking the ACC’s all-time rushing record and 795 yards short of becoming the all-time leader in yards from scrimmage.

Etienne surprised everyone this past January when he announced he was returning to Clemson for his final season.

“I think he is the best back in the country, period! Obviously, I am pretty bias when it comes to that, but he has a great future ahead of him,” Swinney said earlier this year. “I am excited about the fact he is back. He has been a great leader already and we got him for another [four] more months or so… It is nice to know he is back.”

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