Clifford "C. J." Spiller, Jr. (born August 5, 1987) is an American football running back for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Clemson University and was recognized as an All-American. The Buffalo Bills drafted him as the ninth overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.
Early years
Spiller was born in Lake Butler, Florida. He attended Union County High School (Florida) in Lake Butler, where he excelled at track, as well as football. At Union County High School, Spiller played along fellow Clemson teammate, Kevin Alexander. During his senior year at Union County, he rushed for 1,840–yards on 176 carries for 30 touchdowns. He also had fifteen receptions for 249 yards.
In his entire high school career, Spiller rushed for 5,511 yards on 541 carries.
High school honors
Selected to play in 2006 U.S. Army All-American Bowl
#1 player in Florida, #1 all-purpose running back, and #8 overall player by Rivals.com
First-team Parade magazine All-American
Florida 2A state 100 and 200–meter champion
College career
Spiller received an athletic scholarship to attend Clemson University, where he played for the Clemson Tigers football team from 2006 to 2009.
Freshman
As a true freshman, Spiller immediately made himself known to the Clemson fans. In the season, he rushed for 938 yards and ten touchdowns on 129 rushes, despite being the second-team running back behind James Davis. He scored his first collegiate touchdown in a 34–33 overtime loss to Boston College on an 82–yard touchdown reception from quarterback Will Proctor. After struggling versus Florida State the following week, Spiller turned it around against North Carolina by rushing for fifty-eight yards and two touchdowns in a 52–7 rout of the Tarheels. In the following weeks, Spiller had two triple-digit rushing games as the Tigers defeated Louisiana Tech and Wake Forest. Against Louisiana Tech, he rushed for 127–yards and two touchdowns on eleven attempts, in a 51–0 rout of the Bulldogs, in which the entire Clemson team rushed for 393–yards. In a Gameday-featured game vs. 13th ranked Georgia Tech, Spiller rushed for 116 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown run, as well as catching a 50-yard swing pass touchdown en route to the Tigers 31-7 win. Clemson finished the season with an 8–5 overall record, losing four of their final five games, including a 31-28 loss to archrival South Carolina, and ended the season in a 28–20 Music City Bowl loss to the Kentucky Wildcats. Spiller rushed for only twenty-four yards on five attempts in the loss.
Sophomore
C.J. Spiller finds a hole vs. the Maryland Terrapins in 2007.
In his second season for the Tigers, Spiller had a less productive rushing season with only 768–yards and three touchdowns. He did, however, gain more receiving yards, with 271–yards and two additional touchdowns. In the opening three games of the season, Spiller rushed for only eighty-five yards, including a career-worst –1–yards in a 38–10 victory over Furman. In a 13–3 loss, he was again stopped by the Georgia Tech defense, rushing for only two yards. His best statistical game came against rivals South Carolina, which Clemson won 23–21. Spiller ran for a team-high 122 yards on twenty-three attempts in the victory. In the team's bowl game, he rushed for 112–yards on eight attempts, including one touchdown, in a 23–20 loss to Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
Junior
With Spiller and fellow running back James Davis, the Clemson Tigers were favored to win the opening game of their 2008 season against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Chick-fil-A College Kickoff. However, a stingy Alabama defense held Spiller to just seven yards on two attempts. He did score though, on a kickoff return for a touchdown. In his second game, however, he rushed for seventy-five yards on six carries, which included three touchdowns in a 45–17 victory over The Citadel. Against Virginia later that year, Spiller threw first career touchdown on a trick play. On January 15, 2009, he announced that he would remain for his senior year at Clemson instead of entering the 2009 NFL Draft.
Senior
In the Tigers' 40–24 victory over the Florida State Seminoles on November 7, 2009, Spiller and Jacoby Ford became the leading all-purpose duo in NCAA history (a record previously held by Marshall Faulk and Darnay Scott of San Diego State).
On November 28, 2009, Spiller set the FBS record for kickoff return touchdowns with seven during his career. He also earned his spot in the record books in another way on that kickoff return, by being one of five players to ever gain 7,000 all-purpose yards. Spiller was one of the three finalists for the 2009 Doak Walker Award, and placed sixth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy.
Spiller was selected for the All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) first team, and was voted the ACC Player of the Year by the members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. He was also recognized as a unanimous first-team All-American. He was the nation's only player that season to account for touchdowns five different ways—rushing, passing, receiving, and on kick and punt returns—and had passing, rushing and receiving touchdowns in one game, a victory against North Carolina State, a first for a player in Clemson history. He returned four kickoffs and a punt for scores that year and had eight total returns for touchdowns during his career. He scored at least once in every game that season while leading Clemson to the Atlantic Division title and a spot in the league title game against Georgia Tech. Spiller led the ACC with an average of nearly 184 all-purpose yards and was the league's fourth-leading rusher, averaging 76 yards.
Spiller graduated from Clemson in December 2009, becoming the first person in his family to receive a four-year college degree. Also, Clemson retired his No. 28 in recognition of his college career.
Spiller was the only player in the FBS to score a touchdown in every game in the 2009 season.
College awards and highlights
2006
Spiller made his debut against Florida Atlantic (8th freshman RB to start an opener since 1953) where he rushed six times for 18 yards and also caught two passes for 17 yards. The following week, he had 5 runs for 31 yards but scored his first TD on an 82-yard score which stands as the 4th longest catch overall and the longest reception by a tailback in Clemson history. He also established a career-high 2 scoring runs against North Carolina then had his first 100-yard rush game against Louisiana Tech (15 carries, 1 TD) a week after. He set a career-high 18 carries against N.C. State and 155 rushing yards the following week against South Carolina to register back-to-back 150-yard games (first since Terry Allen in 1988). He also had a season-long 80-yard scoring dash in the regular season-ender against the Gamecocks which is the longest since Derrick Witherspoon ran for an 89 yarder in 1993. He finished his rookie season with his postseason debut against Kentucky in the Music City Bowl, rushing for 24 yards on 5 carries. He finished the season with 129 carries for 938 yards and 10 TDs (school freshman record and 4th-most among rookies in the ACC) to go with his 19 catches for 210 yards and 2 scoring catches.
Spiller figured prominently in the statistical leader boards. His five 100-rushing yard games led the team and ranked 2nd in the league, his 7.3 yards per rush was tops for a freshman since 1995 and 4th best in the nation and in the ACC history, his 108.8 all-purpose yards per game average was second in the ACC and 48th in the nation, his 12 total TDs was tied for third in the league, and his 6 ppg average was tied for 7th in the ACC.
2007
Spiller made his season debut with an 11-carry, 48-yard effort against Florida State. He scored his first touchdown against Louisiana-Monroe in week two and established a season-high 21 carries for 114 yards and a TD against N.C. State. He also tallied 3 catches for 34 yards and a TD against the Wolfpack. Spiller finished his sophomore season with three 100-yard games and three scoring runs, including an 83-yard run (Chick-fil-A Bowl record for the longest scoring play and longest touchdown play in Clemson bowl history) in his second straight postseason appearance against Auburn in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl where he was named offensive MVP. By the end of the season, he led the team in all-purpose yardage with 132.5 yards per game and became the first Tiger in history to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the same season. He also capped the year with 1,723 all-purpose yards which is fourth most in Clemson history.
2008 All-ACC Indoor Track Selection (60m)
2008 All-American – Indoor Track & Field (60m)
2009 All-ACC Football (RB & ST)
2009 All-American – Outdoor Track & Field (4x100m)
2009 All-ACC Outdoor Track Selection (100m)
2009 All-ACC Football (RB & KR)
2009 All-American – Football (unanimous)
2009 ACC Championship Game MVP
2009 ACC Offensive Player of the Year
2009 ACC Player of the Year
Had his number (28) retired at Clemson on October 16, 2010.
Track and field
While at Union County High School (Florida), Spiller posted the fourth fastest time in the nation over 100 meters in his senior year, with a time of 10.42 seconds in the 100 meters.
Spiller also ran track and field at Clemson University, where he posted personal bests of 10.22 seconds and 20.91 seconds in the 100 meters and 200 meters, respectively. He also competed in the 60 meters, posting a personal best of 6.65 seconds.
Professional career
2010 NFL Draft
Despite being projected as a first-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, Spiller decided to return for his senior season in January 2009. He was projected as a first-round draft choice in the 2010 NFL Draft and was listed as the No. 1 running back of the 2010 class by ESPN. Spiller was selected 9th overall in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. He was the highest drafted Clemson player since Banks McFadden (1940 NFL Draft) and Gaines Adams (2007 NFL Draft), both of whom went fourth overall.
Buffalo Bills
On August 6, 2010 Spiller signed a five year $25 million deal ($20.8M guaranteed).
Rookie season
On August 19, 2010, Spiller ran 31 yards for his first NFL touchdown in week two of the preseason at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada against the Indianapolis Colts.
Spiller finished the 2010 preseason with 26 carries for 122 yards (4.69 average per carry) and three touchdowns. He also caught three passes for 35 yards. Spiller was named the #1 running back on Buffalo's final depth chart, ahead of the recently injured Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson. Lynch was later traded to the Seattle Seahawks.
On September 12, 2010, Spiller played his first career NFL game in a home loss against the Miami Dolphins.
Spiller was named Special Teams player of the week for September 26, 2010 for a 95 yard touchdown return against the New England Patriots. Spiller also had a touchdown off a pass by Ryan Fitzpatrick. However, his rookie season was marked with disappointment as he scored no rushing touchdowns and accumulated fewer yards than running backs taken after him in the draft, including Ryan Mathews, Jahvid Best, and Toby Gerhart.
2011 season
In 2011 it was announced that Spiller would trade numbers with Leodis McKelvin, receiving the number 28 in exchange for the number 21. Spiller wore number 28 at Clemson. Heading into Week 12, Spiller hadn't gotten as much action as the Bills were planning on because of the Pro Bowl caliber season that Fred Jackson was having, but Jackson was then placed on injured reserve, meaning Spiller would finally get his opportunity and become the Bills' starting running back for the rest of the season. In a Week 16 home game against the Denver Broncos on December 24, 2011, Spiller had the first 100-yard rushing game of his NFL career, rushing 16 times for 111 yards and a touchdown in a 40-14 win for the Bills. Spiller finished the year with 561 yards on 107 carries, with 4 rushing touchdowns and a 5.2 yards/carry average. He also recorded 39 receptions for 269 yards and 2 touchdowns.
2012 season
With Fred Jackson once again missing time due to injuries, Spiller took advantage of the opportunity to have a career year. In Week 15 against the Seattle Seahawks, Spiller reached the 1,000 yards rushing mark for the first time in his NFL career. He also only needed 154 carries to reach the mark - the fewest carries to 1,000 yards since Chicago Bears running back Beattie Feathers in 1934. Spiller rushed for 1,244 yards on only 207 carries and scored 6 touchdowns; his (6.009) yards per carry average (YPC) was second to Adrian Peterson's (6.025). He also caught 43 passes for 459 yards with two receiving touchdowns. Spiller was also elected to be in the Pro Bowl as an alternate for Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, who participated in the Super Bowl.
Personal life
C.J. is the son of Patricia Watkins. He grew up in Lake Butler, Florida which is in the middle of Union County and only has 1,971 residents. As a kid, C.J. acted as a ballboy for the Tigers and star quarterback Andrew Zow, who led Union County to three straight Florida state titles from 1994-96. C.J. has a daughter to longtime girlfriend Krystal Brown, named Shania. C.J. became a committed Christian after the death of his grandmother, Nettie Allen, in 2000 which drew him closer to his faith at Victory Christian Center. He majored in sociology at Clemson University. He wears #28 in honor of Warrick Dunn, his favorite running back.
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