Former South Carolina safety Arturo Freeman spent six years in the NFL before he got into coaching.
Arturo Freeman spent six seasons in the NFL, the majority of which were spent with the Miami Dolphins. Since his final season in 2005, Freeman's spent a good bit of time around the Miami area, still working in the game.
Freeman's on staff at FIU this season as a volunteer assistant coach. Before that, he was the co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach at Campbell. He's also worked at the high school level in south Florida, as the head coach at MTI Prep and defensive coordinator at University School.
Originally from Orangeburg, S.C., Freeman signed with South Carolina as a member of the 1995 recruiting class signed by Brad Scott.
"Being from South Carolina, the first thing you want to do as a local guy, you want to kind of leave, just because that's a natural. Everybody would probably want to see something else, from a small town outside of Columbia, in Orangeburg. … Got a lot of attention early on. Tennessee, Florida State," Freeman said. "Coach Scott actually recruited me at Florida State. I thought that's where I was going to go. Most of my guys at my school go to Clemson, but when I took that visit to South Carolina, had an opportunity to attend a game, it's something about the atmosphere, something about you feels like you want to be the first.
"I say the first, meaning somebody that – you want to bring a championship to your state. That commitment from a lot of the guys that I went to the Shrine Bowl with, we felt like if anybody can do it. But the atmosphere was one of the things that drew me to want to be there, the people and the love of the game, that burning desire that still burns today for a championship.
"Also, to know it's a great place to live once you're done playing, even though I'm in south Florida. I feel like it's one of those places that if I had to go back to, then I would accept it with open arms. The atmosphere played a big part. The people at that time, the coaching staff, they were good for who they were. And just the love the love, just within itself."
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Scott was Florida State's offensive coordinator when South Carolina named him head coach before the 1994 campaign. The Gamecocks finished with a 7-5 record during his first season as head coach.
"All the coaches down there, they can sell, but what did it for me is the fact that he was genuine towards my grandmother at the time," Freeman said. "That played a big part in it. She was just happy with him. She had a great conversation with him. He changed a bulb light in my front door. You know how coaches – now that I'm coaching – these little things mean a lot. You're being sincere with parents, because they become like your kids. It's genuine. It's the honesty towards the game.
"(Scott) could name call because he had the opportunity to coach a lot of great players. That was attractive for me as a young kid from South Carolina. And I get an opportunity that my parents and everybody could come see me play. At the time, I thought that was important. As genuine as he was and his belief in the offense and what he as trying to achieve, to get us to a place to where we could one day be champion. I bought it."
Even though Orangeburg is right down the road the capital city, much closer to Columbia than it is to Clemson, Freeman said the town's pretty split when it comes to in-state allegiance.
"A lot of people started going to Clemson after (I went to South Carolina), for whatever reason. You've got Woodrow Dantzler and you had (Alex Barron), guys go to Florida State. … We have 50/50 in my hometown, a lot of Gamecocks and a lot of Clemson Tigers, so they love me, but at the same time they love their team," Freeman said. "I just made sure – the local barbecue spot was a Carolina fan and the other one was a Clemson fan, so at that point they all gravitated to you because you're from their hometown. They represent you. But when it came to Clemson and Carolina, no. They're holding tight to that orange and white and that garnet and black."