Clemson safety Van Smith drives a BMW, but the car is long past its days as a ride of luxury. It is a 1999 sedan with 300,000 miles on its odometer. Like many college students, Smith holds his breath every time he turns the key in the ignition — hoping the car starts. One day in November, it didn’t. “The starter went out in the middle of campus,” Smith said. “It cost $400. I had to get it towed up the street. Not cheap. “So, yeah, the $388 stipend we get? I need that.”
How College Football Players Use Their Stipends
