For a little more than a year, Jon Gruden has attended every Clemson tailgate.

Well, sort of.

When Syracuse traveled to Clemson on Saturday, Scott Bagwell held his usual tailgate in Lot 3, outside of Littlejohn Coliseum where the Tigers play basketball. The pregame event — one held by Bagwell and his family in the same spot for more than 50 years — featured orange and purple canopies, fried chicken sandwiches, dozens of koozies and a beverage selection equivalent to that of a small bar. Out in front of the site, presented for all to see, stood Tailgate Gruden, a 4-foot tall bobblehead version of the first-year Oakland Raiders coach.

“I don’t mind (Tailgate Gruden),” said Paula, Bagwell’s wife. “It’s just … a few too many beers and he ended up with us, which he shouldn’t have.”

On Sept. 16, 2017, Bagwell and his crew of tailgaters invaded a bar parking lot outside of Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Before an 8 p.m. start between the Tigers and Cardinals, Bagwell headed to the bathroom in the bar, which he nor any of his tailgating partners could recall the name of.

In the corner of the room, between the bar and the bathroom, stood the yard-gnome version of the 2003 Super Bowl-winning coach dressed in Corona Extra gear as part of an ad campaign. Bagwell grinned. He asked the owner if he could bring Gruden out to his tailgate for photos. The owner obliged.

“Just bring him back,” the owner said while walking him out to Bagwell’s crew.

When the Clemson crew returned to their tailgating spot after the 47-21 Tiger victory, the bar was locked. Bagwell and his brother-in-law Marty Osborn, among other tailgaters, threw Gruden in the trunk and headed back to South Carolina.

“We liberated him,” joked Osborn.

Time to go home. Another epic tailgate. CU next week in the valley. Go Tigers. #tailgategruden

A photo posted by tailgategruden

Paula said Gruden “wasn’t supposed to come home.” But once he did, her love for projects consumed her. At the time of the heist, Gruden stood on a beach-like surface and sported a Corona visor while his right held a Corona can and his left a bucket of Corona bottles.

The Corona symbol over the left side of his chest was sanded off and replaced with a Tiger paw sticker. Paula covered Gruden in a trash bag and spray painted Gruden’s blue visor and polo shirt to orange. The Corona can was replaced with a solo cup. Two Clemson EyeBlack stickers cover his cheeks. The “find your beach” Corona slogan now reads “find your” followed by an orange tiger paw.

In Tailgate Gruden’s left hand is his most signature prop: a case of Natural Light, which Bagwell says is an ode to Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney saying “All I know is we’re going to the Natty!” after the Tigers 2016 semifinal victory.

Tailgate Gruden has grown a small following among Clemson fans. He has his own Instagram page, and is tagged in posts by people not from the “Oswell” tailgate, as Bagwell and Osborn refer to their weekly gathering. “Kids love him,” the tailgaters said — people take photos with Gruden and nod his bobbing head in videos.

“Our biggest thing is just his traveling,” Osborn said.

There are non-football milestones for the newest member of the family — he’s traveled to Bagwell’s lake house, met Santa Claus and fried a turkey on Thanksgiving — along with partaking in some of college football’s most storied traditions. In less than a year, Tailgate Gruden has seen Bourbon Street, Clemson, South Carolina, the Orange Bowl and been in the background of ESPN’s College Football Gameday.

I found some people my size.

A photo posted by tailgategruden

He’s even met Swinney. During a “Tiger Walk” before a Clemson home game last year, Osborn brought Tailgate Gruden. He covered the Natural Light box with a tiger towel and the solo cup with a Clemson foam finger.

“I figured Dabo wouldn’t stop if he was drinking a beer,” Osborn said.

Overly excited, Osborn said he ran down the road to prepare for the Tiger Walk and tripped over a speed bump. Tailgate Gruden took the brunt of the fall and now sports a large crack in the back of his head. Still, it was worth it. Swinney walked by Tailgate Gruden before circling back to rub his head, Osborn said.

Andrew Graham | Senior Staff Writer

Bagwell and Osborn don’t miss games. Last year they skipped a family wedding because “it was the Auburn game.” Next year when Clemson travels to Louisville, the group plans to return to the same bar. And for one undersized member of their crew, it’ll be a homecoming.

“He’s going back next year,” Bagwell said. “We’re going to put him in the bar and get a picture so they notice.”

Published on October 1, 2018 at 10:02 pm

Contact Josh: jlschafe@syr.edu | @Schafer_44