Langston Moore, lineman, 1999-2002

The Gamecocks went 0-11 in 1999 — Langston Moore’s first season with the Gamecocks — but the former lineman said he learned more about winning and how to conduct himself in life that year than he ever did by the team earning a berth to the Outback Bowl or by being drafted into the NFL.

“One thing football has always taught me is that you can always outwork talent, you can always outwork pretty uniforms, you can always outwork marketing,” Moore said.

Being a former Gamecock in business in Columbia “can get you in the door, it can get people to answer your e-mails, can get people to call you back, but eventually, you’re going to have to (win) them over with your experience, with your professionalism, how you carry yourself, how you do things.”

Familiarity helps, Moore said, but former football stars should be on guard against being defined — or in his words, pigeon-holed — by an on-the-field persona. “The No. 1 question people always ask you is, ‘Did you go to the pros?’ Moore said. “Then, ‘Are you going to be a coach, now?’”

“Football is something you learn. It’s not who you are. So, how can you blend what you’ve learned from football to be an artist, or to be a musician, or to be a mathematician? I always tell kids, there is nothing wrong with having that notoriety, but don’t be afraid to show off (your other talents and skills).

“Let people know that you’re a writer, you’re an artist, you speak multiple languages – whatever it is that you do, because I think it just adds to the fabric of how great the Gamecock Nation is and how many great people have come out of Gamecock Nation.”

This story was originally published September 15, 2016 at 11:38 PM with the headline "Langston Moore, lineman, 1999-2002."