Few moments defined the 114th Civil War better than Michael Clay’s 64-yard carry on a fake punt early in the third quarter. The play swung momentum in the Ducks’ favor and set up a key touchdown pass to D.J. Davis moments later. Clay, a 5’11”, 225-pound sophomore, has been an important contributor at the linebacker position behind senior Spencer Paysinger. The Oregon Daily Emerald caught up with Clay last week to talk about his Civil War performance, Oregon’s season and much more.
Oregon Daily Emerald: Now that you’ve had a little time to look back on it, take me through that play against Oregon State. What worked so well?
Michael Clay: Just straight execution. The front guys did an awesome job clearing a big hole, I mean you could’ve drove a truck through it. I just made sure I had the ball secure and went with it. Could’ve scored, but ran out of real estate and kind of just got pushed out of bounds. Big momentum changer for the game.
ODE: What was the reaction like from family and friends after arguably the biggest play in the history of one of the oldest rivalries in college football?
MC: When I was back home, my dad (said he) was at a bar watching the game and he was just yelling ‘Go Michael, go!’. And my girlfriend, Maggy, was in the stands and said she couldn’t breathe. I warned her the play might work and she still didn’t know. I had friends that didn’t know either, one friend cried. But it was all just great experience for everyone.
ODE: When’s the last time you carried the ball like that?
MC: High school, two years ago.
ODE: I hear you have a 30-inch vertical jump. Were you a basketball guy in high school?
MC: Yeah, I played basketball sophomore, junior and senior year on varsity. I was a guard sophomore year, then junior year we went to run-and-gun so I just moved to power forward. I was a football player and I was able to bang with the big guys, but it worked out fine for us.
ODE: There’s a lot of good basketball players on the Oregon football team — who do you think is the best?
MC: Jeff (Maehl) is probably the best. But I think the most athletic is Bo (Boseko Lokombo). I’ll be running with Bo all the time and he 360 dunks, be dunkin’ on people, it’s just fun to play with him.
ODE: What other sports were you into growing up?
MC: I was a big soccer guy. That was my first sport, my first love. Growing up in a Mexican family, you know being half Mexican, first sport was soccer. I loved playing soccer, I still love playing soccer. I play with the women’s soccer team in the spring just for fun.
ODE: So when you came on your official visit, who was your player host?
MC: Josh Kaddu was my host.
ODE: How was that?
MC: It was cool, you know. We were in Barnhart, you know chillin’ there. We went out to house parties and everything so it was a good experience.
ODE: How was Christmas and everything?
MC: Christmas was great. I flew in Tuesday and was with friends and family the whole time. So I loved it.
ODE: What was your best present?
MC: Probably an iPod Touch that my dad got me. But I thought one of the coolest ones I got was a waffle maker from my aunt. So that was pretty cool.
ODE: Do you do a lot of cooking up here?
MC: Yeah, you know at the house. Me and Taylor Hart are rooming together and he got a skillet for Christmas, so we’re ready and we already have the George Foreman there.
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