Omar Clayton
Encyclopedia
Omar A. Clayton is an American football quarterback
. He currently plays college football
for the UNLV Rebels
at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
.
to parents Dameon Clayton and Kelly Bradford. He attended Normal Community High School
, where he played football
during his freshman year. His family then moved to Texas, where he attended Plano East Senior High School
, which employed a spread offense. He returned to Illinois and Normal Community for his senior season, where he led the team from the I-formation. That year, he recorded 82 completion
s on 144 pass attempts for 1,080 yards and 13 touchdown
s, and had 128 carries
for 630 yards and 10 touchdowns. Clayton led his team to the Illinois High School Association
(IHSA) 6A state championship and a perfect 14–0 record. The Pantagraph named him the Player of the Year. Clayton was also named the Big 12 Conference most valuable offensive player and an all-state selection.
, where he is studying political science
. In 2007, he walked onto the football team
, and during the preseason, secured a position as the third-string quarterback. By Week 8, he was promoted to the starting position
, and Clayton started three games before he fractured his hand. During the season, he recorded 58 completions on 95 attempts for 618 yards and four touchdowns, and 179 rushing yards and two touchdowns. His 61.1% completion rate set the school record for a freshman.
In 2008
, Clayton completed 152 of 258 pass attempts for 1,894 yards, 18 touchdowns, and four interceptions, before he suffered an injury that forced him to miss the final three games. Prior to the 2009 season, Clayton is ranked 13th in terms of passing yards for a UNLV quarterback after having played in just 16 games. Athlon Sports named him a preseason All-Mountain West Conference
(MWC) second team. The New York Times
predicted UNLV to reach bowl eligibility in 2009
largely because of Clayton, who when healthy, "can score enough points to keep the team in most games".
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...
. He currently plays college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the UNLV Rebels
UNLV Rebels football
The UNLV Rebels football program is a college football team that represents the University of Nevada, Las Vegas . The team is currently a member of the Mountain West Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association...
at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, coeducational university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The campus is located approximately east of the Las Vegas Strip. The institution includes a Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of...
.
Early life
Clayton was born on July 30, 1989 in Decatur, IllinoisDecatur, Illinois
Decatur is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city, sometimes called "the Soybean Capital of the World", was founded in 1823 and is located along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Central Illinois. In 2000 the city population was 81,500,...
to parents Dameon Clayton and Kelly Bradford. He attended Normal Community High School
Normal Community High school
Normal Community High School is a public high school located in Normal, Illinois that was founded in 1905. NCHS serves parts of Normal, Bloomington, and Towanda and is home to over 1,900 students with 150 faculty and staff....
, where he played football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
during his freshman year. His family then moved to Texas, where he attended Plano East Senior High School
Plano East Senior High School
Plano East Senior High School is a secondary school in Plano, Texas serving high school juniors and seniors. It is part of the Plano Independent School District....
, which employed a spread offense. He returned to Illinois and Normal Community for his senior season, where he led the team from the I-formation. That year, he recorded 82 completion
Completion (American football)
A completion is a term used in American football when a receiver successfully catches a pass. The three possible outcomes of a pass thrown are completion, incompletion, and interception, respectively....
s on 144 pass attempts for 1,080 yards and 13 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s, and had 128 carries
Carry (American football)
In American football, a carry is a statistical term equivalent to a single rushing play. The term is typically used in reference to "yards per carry," meaning yards per attempt rushing the ball. Any offensive player who performs a carry is known as a ballcarrier, regardless of position....
for 630 yards and 10 touchdowns. Clayton led his team to the Illinois High School Association
Illinois High School Association
The Illinois High School Association is one of 521 state high school associations in the United States, designed to regulate competition in most interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level. It is a charter member of the National Federation of State High...
(IHSA) 6A state championship and a perfect 14–0 record. The Pantagraph named him the Player of the Year. Clayton was also named the Big 12 Conference most valuable offensive player and an all-state selection.
College career
Clayton enrolled at the University of Nevada, Las VegasUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, coeducational university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The campus is located approximately east of the Las Vegas Strip. The institution includes a Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of...
, where he is studying political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. In 2007, he walked onto the football team
UNLV Rebels football
The UNLV Rebels football program is a college football team that represents the University of Nevada, Las Vegas . The team is currently a member of the Mountain West Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association...
, and during the preseason, secured a position as the third-string quarterback. By Week 8, he was promoted to the starting position
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
, and Clayton started three games before he fractured his hand. During the season, he recorded 58 completions on 95 attempts for 618 yards and four touchdowns, and 179 rushing yards and two touchdowns. His 61.1% completion rate set the school record for a freshman.
In 2008
2008 UNLV Rebels football team
The 2008 UNLV Rebels football team represented the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the 2008 season. UNLV competed as a member of the Mountain West Conference and played their home games at...
, Clayton completed 152 of 258 pass attempts for 1,894 yards, 18 touchdowns, and four interceptions, before he suffered an injury that forced him to miss the final three games. Prior to the 2009 season, Clayton is ranked 13th in terms of passing yards for a UNLV quarterback after having played in just 16 games. Athlon Sports named him a preseason All-Mountain West Conference
Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...
(MWC) second team. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
predicted UNLV to reach bowl eligibility in 2009
2009 UNLV Rebels football team
The 2009 UNLV Rebels football team was the 42nd varsity football team to represent the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The Rebels play in the Mountain West Conference, and compete each season against the remaining eight members of the conference and one permanent interstate rival: UNR...
largely because of Clayton, who when healthy, "can score enough points to keep the team in most games".