Colonel White's 'big secret' is out

At 6-5, 303, senior lineman getting local, national recruiting attention By Mickey Zezzo

For the Dayton Daily News

DAYTON | Offensive linemen fall easily into the best-kept-secret category.
But for the quintessential version of the cream-of-the-crop "secret," you need look no further than Colonel White High School.

In fact, senior offensive tackle Michael Clay also offers the biggest example — literally. He's 6 foot 5 and weighs 303.

Clay, highly respected by both his teachers and coaches, was the only city player to make first team in the Dayton Daily News Division I-II All-Area team.

Add to that, he's the first player during the five-year career of Cougar coach Earl White to gain a first-team berth.

"One of the amazing things about Michael is that he has been playing football for only two years," White said. "Before that he was playing basketball. On the football field, he has a lot of quickness for his size and is a smart player.

Clay is also getting attention from college football recruiters because his numbers in the classroom (3.75 grade-point average) even surpass his prowess on the gridiron.

The good-natured student-athlete, who played through pain most of his senior season, has a flock of college recruits keeping tabs on him with the most noteworthy being North Carolina State, Duke, Miami and a few other MAC schools like Toledo, Bowling Green and Ohio University, plus Ivy League institutions Cornell and Columbia.

Ironically, his favorite location, Ohio State University, hasn't come a-courtin'.

"It's funny, I have always dreamed of going to Ohio State," a smiling Clay said. "But that's one of the schools I haven't heard from — not even a routine questionnaire."

White said that "because of his scholastic record, Michael has a Wright STEP (WSU) program scholarship available to him, if he so desires."

Clay surprised many with his determined competitiveness during the season, starting with White.

"He never gave a second thought to playing hurt," said White, who enjoyed his best season at 7-3. "And his ability to come back from injuries impressed everyone, including our trainer.

"He hurt his knee and there was a lot of swelling over five games, then in game seven, against Cincinnati Withrow, he suffered a broken thumb but went back in with a cast on it."

Clay said the knee injury isn't serious because "it's a torn cartilage that can easily be repaired with laser surgery, which I will have done in February. They told me there would be no cutting necessary. There was a lot of discomfort playing with it, but not much real pain."

Clay said the game against Withrow "was a season highlight for me" — and it had nothing to do with his broken thumb. "The way we came back to win that one (31-24) was exciting. The team really did a great job."

Also encouraging were two uncles: Terry Clay, who played football at Colonel White, and Shelly Clay, who played at Dunbar.

But when it came to inspirational sources, Clay couldn't resist mentioning the athletes' best friend at Colonel White, veteran teacher Sharon Murphy.

"I can look up in the stands at every game and know she'll be there. She even taught my mom."

Murphy, a family consumer sciences teacher, said "Michael is polite, well-mannered and respectful — he's the best of both worlds."

If all else fails, Clay could turn to the entertainment business. According to Murphy, "He has a terrific sense of humor and he does a sensational impersonation of Bill Cosby."

Contact Mickey Zezzo at 236-6032, or e-mail at mickeyz33@msn.com.