Police Make Arrest In Vandalism of ‘Howard’s Rock’

Clemson University Police today announced an arrest for the vandalism of the famed “Howard’s Rock” at Memorial Stadium, and they say more arrests could be forthcoming. Police Captain Eric Hendricks says 18-year-old Micah Rogers of Pisgah Forest, North Carolina, was arrested Friday morning. He is facing a felony malicious injury to property charge and a misdemeanor charge for unlawful entry. Police say Rogers has no academic affiliation with Clemson University, but is the owner of various pieces of Tiger memorabilia, and has a Tiger Paw logo on his truck. A witness identified Rogers as being at the scene of the June 2 crime. Police had earlier released photo-stills from a surveillance video of the area that showed a white, Ford F-250 leaving the east side of Memorial Stadium the night of June 2. Police say the video helped them track down Rogers, whom they believe jumped over a fence to gain entry to the stadium area. Police say other arrests may be coming, but the extent of involvement by any accomplices is not known at this time. Rogers appeared in Clemson University Municipal Court on Friday morning and was released on personal recognizance bond of $5,470.

“Howard’s Rock” was presented to football coach Frank Howard in the late 1960’s by Clemson graduate S.C. Jones, who found the rock in Death Valley, California. After sitting in Howard’s office for several months, the rock was moved to a pedestal atop the hill in the stadium’s east endzone. Players began the tradition of rubbing the rock and running down the hill on September 23, 1967, when the ritual was performed for the first time before Clemson handed Wake Forest a 23-6 defeat.