Mark Packer

Clemson graduate Mark Packer returned to his alma mater last week to speak to the Fort Hill Clemson Club and to dot the "i" on the field before the Tigers' victory over Florida State. Packer has been enjoying retirement since stepping away from the ACC Network this past summer. He said working for ESPN the previous three years was highly frustrating in part because he didn't have total control over his show, and he'd get pushback whenever he stuck up for the ACC. He has plans to write a book about his professional life, and he'll include his experiences with ESPN. Packer also looks back on the iconic "Primetime with the Packman" radio show that was popular for more than a decade in North Carolina and South Carolina. He tells the remarkable story of how the 'QCB' became a fixture on the show. He also reminisces about James Brown and his entourage showing up unannounced at the Charlotte-based studios and spending a rollicking hour on the air with Packer and Co. Packer also recalls the wee hours of the Northern California night in January of 2019 when he interviewed Dabo Swinney on the field at Levi's Stadium when no one else was around. Packer thinks Swinney has to do some significant adapting to move past this disastrous season and put Clemson back on footing with the best in college football.