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WSN15: Football Top Moments #2 - The Legend of John Clay begins with record-setting title game performance

12/10/2017, 8:23am CST
By Travis Wilson

The WSN15 series will celebrate the 15th Anniversary of WisSports.net by looking back at the top players, teams, and moments of the past 15 years (2003-2017). 

We begin our WSN15 series with the Top 15 Moments of the WSN Era.

Top 15 Moments: #2 - The Legend of John Clay begins with record-setting title game performance

The legend of John Clay began much earlier, but it was cemented in the minds of the state's football fans on November 18th, 2005.

In the Division 1 title game against Wisconsin Rapids, Clay would set a new D1 championship record with 259 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries as just a junior. While it was later broken by Waukesha West's Joe Schobert in 2010 (which was in turn broken by Kimberly's Blair Mulholland in 2015), the performance was the beginning of Clay's Camp Randall Stadium legend.

Clay got the Panthers on the board first in the championship game on a three-yard touchdown run with 6:35 left in the first quarter. Wisconsin Rapids would take a 9-7 lead into halftime however. The 6-2, 220-pounder would show his breakaway speed later in the game, going 70 yards for a go-ahead touchdown with 6:12 left in the third quarter. He'd tack on another score from 65 yards out mid-way through the fourth quarter, as Racine Park scored a 28-9 win and the school's second Division 1 state championship.

Not only did Clay set a rushing record, he was a key player on defense, recording six tackles, including two for loss in the game.

He would finish his junior season rushing for 2,032 yards and 30 touchdowns on 162 carries, and the awards and attention flooded in. He was a First Team All-State choice by both the AP and the WFCA, and named the EA Sports National Junior Player of the Year.

Despite battling injuries much of his senior year, Clay managed to rush for 1,485 yards and 15 touchdowns on 170 carries as Park once again qualified for the postseason. He was a WFCA and AP First Team All-State choice again, earning WFCA Player of the Year recognition. For his career he totaled 5,005 yards and 58 touchdowns on 509 carries. 

Clay was selected to participate in the U.S. Army All-American game following his senior year, and was ranked among the top players in the country by all the major scouting services.

A fierce recruiting battle took place for his services, with many of the country's top programs offering scholarships.

Ultimately, he chose the University of Wisconsin over offers from Ohio State, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and numerous others.

After sitting out the 2007 season, Clay made an immediate impact in 2008, rushing for 884 yards and 9 touchdowns on 155 carries as a backup to P.J. Hill. After Hill left early for the NFL Draft, Clay took over the starting running back duties as a sophomore, and took over he did.

Despite starting just 8 games, Clay rushed for 1517 yards and 18 touchdowns as he was named First Team All-Conference by both the media and coaches, and was selected as the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. He received honorable mention All-American honors and was the MVP of the Badgers' Champ Sports Bowl win over Miami.

Injuries would once again creep up for Clay, who missed several games as a junior in 2010 due to ankle problems. Still, he rushed for 1012 yards and 14 touchdowns as the Badgers shared the Big Ten title and played in the 2011 Rose Bowl. In a 31-18 win over top-ranked Ohio State under the lights at Camp Randall, Clay rushed for 104 yards and a pair of first half touchdowns in one of the most memorable games in the stadium's 100 years. After winning a high school state title in his first game at Camp Randall, he would help secure a Big Ten title with 76 yards and a touchdown as the Badgers hammered Northwestern 70-23.

He was a finalist for the Doak Walker Award and received Second Team All-Big Ten honors, as well as Third Team All-American honors from the AP.

A few days after the Rose Bowl, Clay announced he would forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the NFL Draft. After going undrafted in 2011, he would spend time on the Steelers' practice squad and active roster before being released in 2012.

Clay's big-time performances at Camp Randall were numerous, but it all began with a memorable and record-breaking 2005 state title game.

For the latest and most up to date football news and recruiting information, follow Travis on Twitter @travisWSN. Email story ideas, recruiting info, etc. to Travis at travis(at)wissports.net.

Tag(s): News Archive  News  Travis Wilson  WSN15