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bag was hit, and a dad who had unfortunately signed up to volunteer as a coach that week was on the ground. Standing over him was none other than fiveyear-old Wayne Gallman. “I remember that first day of practice,” said the Loganville, Ga., native. “We had to practice with the bags, and one dad was holding the bag. When I hit it, he went down. “Every week, I would knock a different dad over, so they started to have challenges to see which dad could withstand my hit.” Football practice would tucker a young Gallman, luckily for his mother, Felicia Sheard. By his own admission, Gallman was a “wild child.” “When I was younger, I was the devil child,” he admitted. “My mom will gladly tell anyone that. I would run through walls with my head. I was a good child... just wild. “My mom’s friends look at me now and say how I am a completely different person. I have calmed down, but that came with maturity.” While Gallman may be calm off the field, on the field is a completely different story. Clemson fans can recall shuddering in their seats during many moments last season when Gallman would fly down the field and make contact with a defender. “Being wild did help me get where I am now with physicality,” said #9. “I have a strength inside of me that releases on the field that can’t be overcome.” Before he was the Tigers’ star running back setting Clemson’s singleseason rushing record with 1,527 yards
in 2015, Gallman was a linebacker who liked to run fast and hit anything in his path, regardless of what happened. “There were times back in middle and elementary school when I ran the ball but I would fumble because I was too focused on hitting. I had no ball security...I was just a fast kid who liked
to hit. Coaches loved that, but it didn’t set me up to be a great running back.” His experience at linebacker helped him develop the toughness he needed to take his running game to another level. He began to play running back at powerful Grayson High School, but he utilized the extra training at Clemson to excel.
TIGER SPOTLIGHT
WAYNE GALLMAN Full Name Wayne O’neal Gallman Major Communication Jersey #9 Position Running Back Height 6’0” Weight 210 Hometown Loganville, Ga. High School Grayson HS Date of Birth Oct. 1, 1994
“When I got to Clemson, I started to develop my running back skills,” explained Gallman. “You can’t expect to beat everyone around the edge...you have to learn how to set your feet and other necessary skills.” After being pursued by schools across the Southeast, he chose Clemson on a gut feeling on an ordinary school night. “One night, I knew that I was supposed to be at Clemson and I didn’t shy away from it. I called coach (Chad) Morris late that night and told him I was ready to commit. “It was a regular school night, but something told me it was time.” Along with the football program, Gallman felt at home at Clemson, which ultimately played into his decision to commit. “I decided to come to Clemson because the coaches were so different. I love the family mentality. Clemson was, and is, a place where I could create a legacy. I knew that I could grow how I wanted if I came here. I had that vision, and I am glad it is working out so far.” As the 2015 season progressed, Gallman began to earn recognition for his achievements, and along with those achievements came a new nickname for the running back...“Wayne Train.” While Gallman was not initially thrilled, he grew to respect the name and the fans who gave it to him. “At first, I wasn’t crazy about it because it was kind of corny, but I am really taking a hold of it now. This is the name that Clemson has given me, and I really respect that. People see me as the ‘Wayne Train,’ and that is fine with me.” While he may hope to leave the nickname behind, Gallman does have something he wants to leave in Clemson.
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