The brutal days of November 2013 still linger through Jacksonville State star defensive tackle Devaunte Sigler's mind.

They're not nearly as bad as the ones in the months leading up to that.

On March 1, Sigler was dismissed from Auburn for an undisclosed violation of team rules.

He characterized it as a misunderstanding with the new coaching staff under Gus Malzahn, but admitted things had been going the wrong way under the previous staff. He was a defendant in a civil suit filed by University Village for not paying his rent. A promising career for the Mobile native was stopped in its tracks.

And he had a 2-year-old daughter, Essence, back at home. And that's where he went.

But while the father-daughter time was a blessing, he couldn't find a job. He stayed with his mother, but finances were tough to the point where he didn't have a cell phone. Applying for a job was a hassle without a return number.

"My mother, she raised me, and I'm looking like, 'That's my child, I'm a man and I can't do anything about it,'" Sigler said. "I've got to find something to do to feed my daughter and make things better."

He got the release from Auburn in November, but still needed a place to go.

He was able to catch up with Chris Landrum, who landed at Jacksonville State in 2013 after leaving Auburn. Landrum and Sigler started their careers at Auburn together and were friends.

Sigler spoke with former JSU head coach Bill Clark and assistant David Reeves about coming to school.

"They were thrilled he wanted to come and they wanted him," Landrum said. "They were willing to do all the things it took to get him here and get him eligible.

"He was willing to work hard to get himself back eligible academically. Once he got eligible academically, he took off and running."

But he wasn't eligible. Leaving Auburn meant his classes that semester were withdrawn. He was forced to pay his own way to Jacksonville State and he estimated passing 37 hours worth of classes in the spring and summer of 2014.

He was finally eligible to practice and compete last fall.

"Just my daughter was my drive," Sigler said. "Being at home like that, I don't think people realize how hard it is to not have a job and have a child at the same time. Six, seven months without a job, nothing, it just drove me. I've got to do better. It's just all for my daughter."

The 6-foot-5, 292-pound Sigler immediately made an impact for the Gamecocks.

He didn't play or even train for a year, but earned Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year and FCS All-America honors. Sigler recorded 36 tackles, nine for loss with 3.5 sacks, an interception, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick despite facing numerous double teams.

"To me, it seemed like he had gotten faster and gotten better to me," Landrum said. "He was dealing with a lot of injuries at Auburn. When he's healthy and not having injuries, he was flying around the football field and it was good to see."

Sigler battled a torn labrum in his shoulder last season and had offseason surgery. He is fully recovered with loads of preseason honors for the No. 9-ranked Gamecocks as they opened practice Friday.

"He's a fast, quick guy that looks like a basketball guy running around there at 290," Jacksonville State head coach John Grass said.

Even more so, Sigler is on pace to graduate in December with a public administration degree. A shot at the NFL likely awaits, but he's also looking forward to potential graduate school "and maybe one day being someone else's boss."

Sigler's story could have continued off the wrong path, but he said the opportunity at Jacksonville State saved his life. Now, he's eager to share his wisdom from the mistakes he made.

"Any student-athlete I can talk to that would think about leaving football, I would tell them, 'Don't do it,'" Sigler said. "God gave you the talent for a reason and a hard labor job is not what you want to do."