John Clay (running back)
Encyclopedia
John Clay is an American football
running back
. He currently plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers
, practice squad, of the National Football League. He was signed by the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football for the University of Wisconsin–Madison football team
. In high school he received numerous awards and accolades for his accomplishments on the field at Washington Park High in Racine, Wisconsin, and was one of the most heavily recruited players in the country. Clay was ruled ineligible to play by the NCAA after not completing Wisconsin admission requirements before being ruled eligible for the 2008 season. His nickname is "Gumby", supposedly because of that show's
clay animation
style. He entered the 2011 NFL Draft
but went undrafted.
in Racine, Wisconsin
. While in High School he was trained by NBA All-Star Caron Butler's
trainer Eric M. Harris of Complete8 LLC. He was named All-American in 2006 and played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl
game. A 4-star recruit, he committed to Wisconsin on national signing day after declining offers from Tennessee, Ohio State, Nebraska, and Iowa.
freshman in 2008, Clay saw his first action on the field against the University of Akron, where he posted 71 yards and his first collegiate touchdown on just 12 carries. He finished the season second on the team and seventh in the Big Ten Conference in rushing with 884 yards on 155 carries and nine touchdowns.
on September 12, 2009. Clay was rewarded for his performance earning his first start of the season the following week against the Wofford Terriers
. However, in that game Clay had a career high three fumbles.
On October 3, 2009, Clay ran for a career high of 184 rushing yards on 32 attempts against the Minnesota Golden Gophers
. Clay also scored 3 touchdowns in that game.
On November 23, 2009, Clay was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Clay is the third Badgers' standout to be named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, joining fellow running backs Ron Dayne
(1999) and Brent Moss
(1993). Clay led the Big Ten and ranked eighth in the country with 1,517 rushing yards. His 18 rushing touchdowns also led the Big Ten and tied for seventh in the nation. The Wisconsin native is the third consecutive running back to earn Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year accolades and the sixth sophomore to be honored, joining a group of former second-year winners that includes Purdue quarterback Drew Brees
(1998), Michigan running backs Tyrone Wheatley
(1992) and Jon Vaughn
(1990) and Michigan State running backs Tico Duckett (1990) and Lorenzo White
(1985).
John Clay was on the cover of the December 11, 2009 edition of Sports Illustrated
. The Sports Illustrated
issue was "Pictures of the Year", the best sports photos of 2009. The cover is a close-up of Clay's helmet with the reflection of his offensive line and quarterback
in his visor. The picture was taken during the Michigan game at Camp Randall Stadium
.
, which is given annually to the nation's top running back. The other two finalists were Kendall Hunter
of Oklahoma State and the winner of the award, LaMichael James
of Oregon.
For the 2010 season, Clay finished with 1,012 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns.
.
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
. He currently plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, practice squad, of the National Football League. He was signed by the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football for the University of Wisconsin–Madison football team
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
. In high school he received numerous awards and accolades for his accomplishments on the field at Washington Park High in Racine, Wisconsin, and was one of the most heavily recruited players in the country. Clay was ruled ineligible to play by the NCAA after not completing Wisconsin admission requirements before being ruled eligible for the 2008 season. His nickname is "Gumby", supposedly because of that show's
Gumby
Gumby is a green clay humanoid character created and modeled by Art Clokey, who also created Davey and Goliath. Gumby has been the subject of a 233-episode series of American television as well as a feature-length film and other media...
clay animation
Clay animation
Clay animation or claymation is one of many forms of stop motion animation. Each animated piece, either character or background, is "deformable"—made of a malleable substance, usually Plasticine clay....
style. He entered the 2011 NFL Draft
2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
but went undrafted.
High school
John Clay attended Washington Park High SchoolWashington Park High School
Washington Park High School is a public, four-year high school in Racine, Wisconsin with an enrollment of over 2,400 students. Its school colors are blue and orange...
in Racine, Wisconsin
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
. While in High School he was trained by NBA All-Star Caron Butler's
Caron Butler
James Caron Butler, widely known as Caron Butler , is an American professional basketball player who most recently played at small forward for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks.-Early life:...
trainer Eric M. Harris of Complete8 LLC. He was named All-American in 2006 and played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl
U.S. Army All-American Bowl
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is a high school football all-star game held in early January in San Antonio, Texas. Currently played in the Alamodome, the game brings 90 of the nation's top high school football players in an East versus West matchup. In addition to the Bowl game, there is the U.S...
game. A 4-star recruit, he committed to Wisconsin on national signing day after declining offers from Tennessee, Ohio State, Nebraska, and Iowa.
Controversy
After graduating from high school and before the start of summer football camp, Clay was notified by the NCAA that his grades had not met the requirements to play collegiate football. He had recorded a 2.7 core GPA and received a 17 on his ACT. Clay attended summer school to complete the required course work, then rejoined his teammates and began practicing with the Badgers. He lost a year of football, but retained his eligibility.Awards and accolades
- U.S. Army All-American BowlU.S. Army All-American BowlThe U.S. Army All-American Bowl is a high school football all-star game held in early January in San Antonio, Texas. Currently played in the Alamodome, the game brings 90 of the nation's top high school football players in an East versus West matchup. In addition to the Bowl game, there is the U.S...
- Tom Lemming's Top 10 of 2007
- All-State
- All-Area
- Rival's 100
- 2009 Big Ten offensive player of the year
- 2009 All-Big Ten 1st team
- 2009 Champs Sports Bowl2009 Champs Sports BowlThe 2009 Champs Sports Bowl was a college football bowl game between the Wisconsin Badgers of the Big Ten Conference and the Miami Hurricanes of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Played at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida, the game started at 8:00 PM US EST on Tuesday, December 29, 2009 and was...
MVP
2008 season
As a redshirtRedshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
freshman in 2008, Clay saw his first action on the field against the University of Akron, where he posted 71 yards and his first collegiate touchdown on just 12 carries. He finished the season second on the team and seventh in the Big Ten Conference in rushing with 884 yards on 155 carries and nine touchdowns.
2009 season
In his sophomore season, Clay ran for 143 rushing yards against the Fresno State BulldogsFresno State Bulldogs
The Fresno State Bulldogs represent California State University, Fresno in 19 NCAA Division I sports. The teams have been members of the Western Athletic Conference since 1992. Before that, it had been a member of the Big West Conference since 1969...
on September 12, 2009. Clay was rewarded for his performance earning his first start of the season the following week against the Wofford Terriers
Wofford Terriers
Wofford College sponsors 18 sports for men's and women's programs. The Terriers also compete in the Southern Conference, and have been a part of the league since the 1997–98 academic year. Wofford and the other SoCon members play football in the Football Championship Subdivision...
. However, in that game Clay had a career high three fumbles.
On October 3, 2009, Clay ran for a career high of 184 rushing yards on 32 attempts against the Minnesota Golden Gophers
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
. Clay also scored 3 touchdowns in that game.
On November 23, 2009, Clay was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Clay is the third Badgers' standout to be named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, joining fellow running backs Ron Dayne
Ron Dayne
Ron Dayne is a former American football running back who is currently a free agent. He holds the NCAA record for career rushing yards, and he won the 1999 Heisman Trophy.-Early life:...
(1999) and Brent Moss
Brent Moss
Brent Moss is a former American football running back for the Wisconsin Badgers from 1991–1994. Moss also spent some time in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins and St...
(1993). Clay led the Big Ten and ranked eighth in the country with 1,517 rushing yards. His 18 rushing touchdowns also led the Big Ten and tied for seventh in the nation. The Wisconsin native is the third consecutive running back to earn Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year accolades and the sixth sophomore to be honored, joining a group of former second-year winners that includes Purdue quarterback Drew Brees
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
(1998), Michigan running backs Tyrone Wheatley
Tyrone Wheatley
Tyrone Anthony Wheatley is the running backs coach at Syracuse University and a former professional American football player who played 10 seasons in the National Football League and was one of the most successful high school and collegiate athletes in Metropolitan Detroit history...
(1992) and Jon Vaughn
Jon Vaughn
Jonathan Stewart Vaughn is a former professional American football player who played running back and served as a kick returner in the National Football League for 4 seasons from 1991 to 1994 for the Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, and Kansas City Chiefs...
(1990) and Michigan State running backs Tico Duckett (1990) and Lorenzo White
Lorenzo White
Lorenzo Maurice White , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Houston Oilers in the 1st round of the 1988 NFL Draft. He attended Dillard High School in Ft. Lauderdale in Florida. A 5 ft 11 in running back from Michigan State University, White played in 8...
(1985).
John Clay was on the cover of the December 11, 2009 edition of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
. The Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
issue was "Pictures of the Year", the best sports photos of 2009. The cover is a close-up of Clay's helmet with the reflection of his offensive line and quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
in his visor. The picture was taken during the Michigan game at Camp Randall Stadium
Camp Randall Stadium
Camp Randall Stadium is an outdoor stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. It has been the home of the Wisconsin Badgers football team in rudimentary form since 1895, and as a complete stadium since 1917. It is located on the center-southern region of the University of Wisconsin campus. The stadium seats...
.
2010 season
Clay entered the 2010 football season on the preseason watch lists for the Doak Walker Award, Walter Camp Award, and Maxwell Award. He was also selected as a Playboy All-American and has also been viewed as a viable candidate for the Heisman Memorial Trophy.An MCL injury sidelined Clay for the last three 2010 regular season games, damaging his chances at the Heisman. Clay was named one of three finalists for the 2010 Doak Walker AwardDoak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
, which is given annually to the nation's top running back. The other two finalists were Kendall Hunter
Kendall Hunter
Kendall Hunter is an American football running back for the San Francisco 49ers. He was chosen with the 115th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. He previously attended Oklahoma State University–Stillwater. He is the Cowboys' fourth all-time leading rusher...
of Oklahoma State and the winner of the award, LaMichael James
LaMichael James
LaMichael Keondrae James is a college football running back for the Oregon Ducks football team. The 2010 season was a breakout one for James, as he rushed for 1,682 yards during the regular season, the highest in the nation. He finished third in balloting for the Heisman Trophy and received the...
of Oregon.
For the 2010 season, Clay finished with 1,012 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns.
Professional career
On January 7, 2011, Clay announced he would forgo his senior season to enter the 2011 NFL Draft2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
.
2011 NFL Draft
Clay went undrafted in the 2011 NFL Draft2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Clay was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent following the 2011 NFL Draft on July 26, 2011. He waived for final cuts on September 2, 2011 but was re-signed two days later to the practice squad.Rushing
| Year | Team | Attempts | Yards | Average | Long | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Washington Park Washington Park High School Washington Park High School is a public, four-year high school in Racine, Wisconsin with an enrollment of over 2,400 students. Its school colors are blue and orange... |
178 | 1,483 | 8.3 | - | 10 |
| 2005 | Washington Park Washington Park High School Washington Park High School is a public, four-year high school in Racine, Wisconsin with an enrollment of over 2,400 students. Its school colors are blue and orange... |
166 | 2,029 | 12.2 | - | 29 |
| 2006 | Washington Park Washington Park High School Washington Park High School is a public, four-year high school in Racine, Wisconsin with an enrollment of over 2,400 students. Its school colors are blue and orange... |
183 | 1,485 | 8.1 | - | 13 |
| High School Totals | - | 4,997 | - | -- | 52 | |
| 2008 | Wisconsin | 155 | 884 | 5.7 | 46 | 9 |
| 2009 | Wisconsin | 277 | 1,517 | 5.5 | 72 | 18 |
| 2010 | Wisconsin | 187 | 1,012 | 5.4 | 40 | 14 |
| College Totals | 619 | 3,413 | 5.5 | 72 | 41 | |