So. We finally did it.

And I have to say, it feels great. After the Maryland game, I was just overjoyed we got the win and it seemed like everyone’s sprits were up. It’s definitely a feeling I’m hoping to experience again.

Everybody came back for homecoming, and we were glad to get a win for the all of our supporters. Former players, alumni – Jerricho Cotchery, who used to play for the Pack and is now with the New York Jets, was there on the sidelines – they wanted to come, watch a good game and see us win, and we were able to do that. It was good to get it started on the right page.

After the game, just when the clock went down, going onto the field and watching everyone chase down Michael Lemon…all that joy. Just looking in the stands during the Alma Mater and thinking ‘finally’…seeing everyone so happy…that was a great picture.

The good news is everybody knows we can win now. These few remaining games have a lot at stake for us.

Clemson, they’re going to be good. But now we think we can get it done. They’re a good team with a lot of athletes. It’s traditionally a hard fought game and they’ve got big ambitions in this league. We’ve got to come ready to play and they’re going to be looking to win just like we are.

All the work and all the talk finally gave us the result we wanted. You guys may have already read about this, but Coach O’Brien gets one of the other coaches to come speak to us the night before games at the hotel. It’s a good tradition and I really felt like it helps.

Coach Bridge, I believe it was, told us a story about this man who was cutting down trees and he felt like he was putting so much effort into chopping wood. Each week he would give the same amount of effort and he would cut less trees. He felt like he was giving the same effort, and then he went to his boss, and he said, “well you have to change your blade – it’s getting dull.” He compared that to us. He said we had to mentally prepare to take that step.

Coach Willis spoke to us last week, and the message was just “enough.” Enough losing, enough feeling sorry for ourselves. He just spoke from the heart, really, and I guessed it worked because we won.

Besides talking it over and getting ready mentally, the most important thing, in my mind, was to prepare well in practice. I think that was the difference last week – we really approached it like we should. We worked on replicating that effort in preparing for Clemson.

As for whether I’ll be back with the Pack next season or joining Jericho in the NFL, we sent them the paperwork for my the sixth year not too long ago. I’m sure I’ll be hearing back from them in a few weeks. I may be going to the NFL, even if it works out – I just need to see how these last few games work out.

We’ll see you at the game.

-As told to Kate Shefte