Clemson linebacker Sammy Brown did not try to soften what happened Saturday night in Baton Rouge.
After the Tigers were dismantled 51-10 by LSU, Brown called the season-opening performance "really, really embarrassing" and quickly turned his attention toward how Clemson responds from one of the program's lowest moments in recent memory.
For Brown, that response carries extra meaning after he openly questioned Clemson's mental toughness at times last season. He pointed during ACC Kickoff to the way one setback could linger, with adversity becoming harder to shake as the year unfolded.
Now Clemson has an immediate opportunity to prove that problem has been addressed.
"The work that we put in this offseason, you know, physically and also mentally, has put us in a position to not let this loss develop or define us like it did last year," Brown said. "Because, you know, you let one loss roll into two, three, and four losses."
The challenge is especially significant after a 41-point defeat that left little positive to take from the opener. Brown believes part of his responsibility is making sure frustration does not turn into resignation inside the locker room.
"You can't let a loss define who you are as a man. You can't let it defeat you. You've got to let it develop you," Brown said.
Clemson has now lost four consecutive season openers, but Brown's concern is not what happened in Baton Rouge as much as what comes next.
The Tigers spent the offseason insisting they were better prepared to handle adversity. They did not expect to have that claim tested this quickly, or this severely. After the LSU loss, however, Clemson's chance to prove it has changed has arrived immediately.
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson star linebacker embarrassed after blowout loss against LSU
