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CLEMSON -- The scars on his forearms are from the shattered glass, and if Carlos Watkins chose to he could view them as reminders of the worst night of his life.

Instead, he chooses to view them as a reminder of the blessing of being alive.

"I try to look at it in a positive way," Watkins said. "Not that it's a positive that my friend passed. But that I'm blessed to be here."

Watkins, a sophomore defensive tackle, spoke with reporters Tuesday night and was presented with the difficult task of recounting the gut-wrenching details of that tragic September night last year. His eyes became glassy as he remembered Dache Gossett, who was in the car that hydroplaned and struck a power pole in heavy rains outside Forest City, N.C.

The 21-year-old Gossett wasn't just a buddy to Watkins; he was pretty much a big brother. The two had been close since they were babies, and in 2012 Gossett made the drive to Clemson for all of Watkins' home games.

"I was in shock for so long," Watkins said. "It took me a while to just believe that I lost a brother. But then I finally realized he was gone, because I would go back home. That was always the first person I would hit up when I'd go back home. And then I couldn't hit him up anymore. So that's when it really hit me, going back home and realizing he wasn't there."

All was right in Watkins' world three games into the 2013 season. The Tigers were 3-0 after a big opening win over Georgia and a Thursday-night victory at N.C. State. Watkins was making an impact, earning a start against the Bulldogs and totaling 90 snaps in the first three games.

The team was given the weekend off after the win in Raleigh. Watkins and Gossett were together again back home on a Saturday. The two and another friend, former football teammate Tajae McMullens, were planning to make the drive to Hickory to watch a Lenior-Rhyne football game. They'd just left Gossett's house and were going to drop by a cookout before going to the game.

McMullens was driving the car, a Dodge Durango. Gossett was in the back seat and was not wearing a seat belt, according to reports of the accident.

"We came up on a turn, and the car just lost control," Watkins recalled.

Watkins was knocked unconscious when his head struck the passenger-side window. When he came to a few moments later, the power pole was on his legs and there was nothing he could do but sit there. He said he knew Gossett was dead when he glanced back at his friend, who was ejected from the car.

Watkins and McMullens were stuck in the car for two hours before rescue crews were able to safely remove them. Emergency workers had to wait for Duke Energy to arrive and cut power to the pole before they performed the rescue operation. McMullens was not injured.

Watkins spent three days in the hospital and suffered heavy bruising in his legs. A fireman who was at the scene told Watkins' father the pole would've broken both of his legs had he been smaller.

"I guess it was good that I'm 295, a big guy," he said. "It was a blessing. God was there for me."

Watkins ended up missing the rest of the year and received a medical redshirt. It wasn't until this summer that he finally felt like he was back to 100 percent physically.

"You really don't know how much you miss it until it's gone," he said of football. "Sitting out, watching my boys have fun out there during the season, it was tough. But I knew my time would come again. It's just a blessing to be back out there this year."

Watkins said he remains close with Gossett's family. Dache played football with Watkins at Chase High School and was homecoming king as a senior.

"His little brother, me and him are the same age," Watkins said. "I'm only eight days older than him. I'm there for his mom."

Watkins said Gossett will always be in his heart, and in his mind. The scars on his arms are constant reminders of what he lost, but he chooses to view them as symbols of what he was given.

"It just shows me how quick things can change, how quick your life can be taken away," he said. "It really changed my mindset a lot."