Jack David Clancy (born June 18, 1944 in ) is a
former
American football wide receiver who played for the
Miami Dolphins in 1967 and 1969 and for the
Green Bay Packers in 1970.
He also
played in college for the University of Michigan
Wolverines from
1963-1966.
At Michigan, Clancy started as a
quarterback, switched to
halfback,
returned punts and
kickoffs, and became a star as an
end. In two seasons as an end
(1965-1966), Clancy rewrote the
Michigan
receiving record book. At the time of his graduation, he held
the school records for most
reception and
receiving yards in a career, season and game. His 1966 total of
197 receiving yards against
Oregon State remains
Michigan's single-game receiving record. He was named an
All-American and also set
the
Big Ten Conference record for
most receptions in a single season of conference play. Though most
of his records have since been broken, Clancy continues to rank
among the
leading
receivers in Michigan history.
Clancy was drafted by the Miami Dolphins of the
American Football League. In 1967,
quarterback
Bob Griese and Clancy were
both rookies for the Dolphins. Clancy caught 67
pass that year, setting an AFL rookie record.
He was third in the AFL in receptions in 1967 and eighth in
receiving yards. He was named to the 1967 AFL All-star game. After
a sensational rookie season, Clancy suffered a serious knee injury
in a 1968 exhibition game and missed the entire season. While
making a comeback in 1969, Clancy suffered an injury to his other
knee. Traded to the
Green Bay
Packers in 1970, Clancy was unable to return to his prior form
after the knee injuries. He made only 16 receptions in 14 games and
was released by the Packers before the start of the 1971
season.
College
A native
of , Clancy's family moved to the Green Bay, Wisconsin
area, where Clancy attended elementary
school. His family next moved to Michigan, where Clancy
graduated from
St. Mary's High
School in . Clancy then enrolled at the University of Michigan.
As a
freshman in 1962, Clancy was on the
roster as a
quarterback but did not
play.
1963 season
In 1963, Clancy appeared in nine games as a
halfback and also returned
punt and
kickoff. He generated 520 yards
of
total offense: 228 yards on
kickoff returns, 109 yards
rushing, 105 yards on
punt returns, and 78 yard
receiving. Against
Minnesota in 1963, he fumbled a
punt at Michigan's 35-yard line; the ball rolled toward the
Michigan goal line and was recovered by Michigan at its own 16-yard
line. Michigan punted from deep in its own territory on second
down, and Minnesota cashed in on the field position with the game's
only touchdown in a 6–0 Minnesota victory.
1964 season
Clancy was named the starting halfback before the start of the 1964
season. However, he suffered a back injury in September 1964 and
spent more than two weeks in the University Hospital before being
released on September 17, 1964. As a result of the injury, Clancy
missed Michigan's Big Ten championship season in 1964, as
Jim Detwiler took over his halfback spot.
Clancy was given an extra year of eligibility for missing the 1964
season. Quarterback Dick Vidmer also missed the 1964 season with a
broken leg; Vidmer and Clancy would return from their injuries as a
powerful passing and receiving combination in 1966.
1965 season
In 1965, Clancy switched to
end and became the first
Michigan Wolverine with 50
receptions in a
season, and set Michigan single-season
records with 52 receptions and 762 yards. In his first
game at the end position, Clancy made what was described as "a
circus catch" in the endzone on a pass from quarterback Dick
Vidmer. Clancy set the Big Ten receiving record in against
Wisconsin, catching a 52-yard
touchdown pass from quarterback
Wally Gabler on Michigan's first offensive
play. At the time, the
Associated
Press reported: "What makes Clancy's record so much more
impressive is the fact that he came to Michigan as a quarterback,
switched to halfback and won a spot there two years ago and then
turned to end this season. And with Michigan's reputation for
always having talented ends—
Benny
Oosterbaan,
Lowell Perry,
Ron Kramer and John Henderson among them—Clancy's
feat takes on even more brilliance." At the end of the season,
Clancy's teammates chose him as
captain for the 1966 season. He was also
named a second-team All-Big Ten player by the
United Press International
(UPI).
1966 season
Before the 1966 season, Clancy spent the summer in practicing with
Michigan's
quarterback Dick Vidmer,
cornerback Mike Bass and
safety Rick
Volk. Clancy and Vidmer worked as a unit through the summer,
trying to outmaneuver Bass and Volk. Clancy noted, "If I could
catch three or four
passes against
those guys I'd be doing good." The summer sessions paid off, as
both Clancy and Volk were named All-Americans in 1966. Michigan
opened the season with a 41–0 win over
Oregon State. In that game,
Vidmer threw 10
passes to Clancy
for 197 yards. Vidmer's first completion to Clancy went for
49 yards and set up Michigan's first touchdown. After the
game, the UPI wrote that Clancy and Vidmer were "almost too good
for each other." Clancy also led the attack in a 49–0 win over
Minnesota on
October 22, 1966, catching 10 passes for 168 yards and
two touchdowns, including a 56-yard touchdown pass. In 1966, Clancy
had three games in which he caught at least 10 catches and
broke his own school records with 76 receptions for
1,079 yards. His 50 receptions and 698 yards in
conference play were also new
Big Ten
Conference records. He was named an
All-American in 1966
and also received the team's
Most
Valuable Player award.
Records
After the 1966 season, Clancy held most major school receiving
records at Michigan, as well as many
Big Ten Conference records. His
accomplishments included:
- Single season receptions in Big Ten Conference play.
Clancy was the first player with 50 receptions in Big Ten
Conference play (in only seven conference games). His record was
broken in 1980 when Keith Chappelle (Iowa) and Dave Young (Purdue) each recorded
51 receptions in eight conference games. The record was not
broken on a per game rate until 1983 when Ricky Edwards (Northwestern) recorded
68 receptions in nine games.
- Career receptions and receiving yards. Clancy set
Michigan career records with 132 receptions and
1,919 receiving yards. Anthony Carter broke
Clancy's career receiving yards record in 1981 and his receptions
record in 1982. Clancy now ranks eleventh in receptions and
thirteenth in yardage.
- Single game receiving yards. As of early 2008,
Clancy's 197 yards receiving continued to be the Michigan
single-game record. He is also the only receiver with two of the
top six and three of the top fifteen yardage games. In addition to
the 197-yard effort, Clancy had 10 receptions for
166 yards against Minnesota and
11 receptions for 179 yards against the Illinois.
- Single season receptions. Clancy also set the
single-season receptions record with 76 catches in 1966 (playing a
10 game schedule). Marquise
Walker broke Clancy's record with 86 receptions in 2001
(playing a 13 game schedule). Clancy now ranks fifth in
single-season receptions, but only Braylon Edwards has matched him on a
comparable games basis with 76 receptions in his first
10 games of 2004.
- Single season yardage. Clancy also held the
single-season yardage record of 1077 until 1994 when Amani Toomer recorded 1096 in 12 games. He
currently ranks seventh on the single-season receptions list. No
receiver has surpassed his single-season yardage total in the first
10 games of the season. Braylon
Edwards (76 receptions for 1049 yards in 2004) and
Mario Manningham (62 receptions for
1062 yards in 2007) are the only other Michigan receivers to reach
1000 yards in their 10th game of a season.
Michigan single-season reception yardage
Michigan single-game reception yardage
N.B.:The database used here includes statistics since 1949.
Professional career
Miami Dolphins
Clancy was drafted in the third round of the
1966 AFL Draft by the
Miami Dolphins and the ninth pick of the
fifth round of the
1966 NFL Draft
(73rd overall) by the
St.
Louis Cardinals. However, he opted to
redshirt for an extra season at Michigan where he
played the
1966
NCAA Division I-A football season. He joined the Dolphins for
the
1967 AFL season. In 1967, the
Dolphins' rookie quarterback
Bob Griese
combined with rookie receiver Clancy for 67 receptions—an
American Football League
rookie record for pass receptions. That year, Clancy led the
Dolphins in receiving yardage and receptions, and finished eighth
in the AFL in reception yards and third in receptions. He compiled
three 100-yard receiving games, and he was named to the AFL
All-Star Game.
In their second season together, Griese and Clancy were roommates
in the pre-season and appeared ready to have a big year. The young
"Griese-Clancy combine" was expected to be "a major drawing card"
for the young AFL franchise in 1968. In the first three pre-season
games in 1968, they connected for 19 receptions and
284 yards. However, Clancy suffered a ruptured
ligament in his left knee shortly after catching a
pass against the
Baltimore Colts
in the final pre-season game on August 31, 1968. Clancy underwent
surgery and missed the 1968 season. Clancy watched the Dolphins
from the sidelines with his leg in a cast, as
Karl Noonan took over at split end and led the
AFL in touchdown catches in 1968.
In April 1969, Clancy got married and went on a honeymoon trip
around the world, swimming, surfing and "getting some sun." He
said, however, marriage had not reduced his desire to play
football. "Just the opposite," he said. "I'm more hungry than ever.
I want to make that money." After a season on
crutches, the UPI reported: "The former rookie wonder
wants to get back under quarterback Bob Griese's passes, to reclaim
his billing as the Miami Dolphins' top receiver. Despite a scar on
his knee, Clancy was dashing, cutting and jumping for passes during
summer workouts. However, even Clancy acknowledged the injury had
slowed him down: "I'm still a couple of steps slower than before
the operation. But I'm optimistic. It doesn't pain me. I figure I
have a month to work the way I want to, I'll be all right."
Clancy's comeback appeared to be on track in early November, as he
was a close second among Miami receivers with 21 catches for 289
yards. However, the comeback was cut short on November 2, 1969,
when he suffered torn ligaments, this time to his right knee in a
loss to the
New York Jets. Clancy
missed the final six games of the 1969 season due to the
injury.
Green Bay Packers
In May 1970, Clancy was traded by the Dolphins to the
Green Bay Packers for tight end
Marv Fleming. Clancy had begun a business
selling real estate in Miami during the offseason, but he also had
ties to Green Bay. He had attended St. Matthew's Grade School there
in the 1950s. Clancy expressed mixed emotions about the trade: "I
don't like to leave Miami. You hate to have to pick up and move and
I definitely plan to come back (to Miami) in the offseason. But
most of my dad's family are still up in Green Bay. He's always
wanted me to play for the Packers." Clancy was greeted as the first
Green Bay native to play for the Packers since Wayland Becker in
1938. Wisconsin columnist Lee Remmel said Clancy "surveys the
football scene with a pair of cool, calculating blue eyes and a
computer-type mind."
In an August 1970 exhibition game against the
New York Giants, Clancy caught four passes
for 110 yards. Packers coach
Phil
Bengtson said after the game, "He has a knack of knowing where
the ball will be. Clancy doesn't have great speed, but he has the
ability to recognize defenses and take advantage of them." While
Clancy played in all 14 games for the Packers in 1970, he caught
only 16 passes, leading one Green Bay writer to conclude that
Clancy's "anemic production" resulted in double-teaming of flanker
Carroll Dale and an unbalanced passing
offense. Clancy finished fifth in receptions on the 1970 Packers,
behind Dale,
tight end John Hilton,
running back Donny
Anderson, and even
fullback Jim Grabowski.
Clancy tried out for the Packers again in 1971, but he was cut in
August before the season started. While attempting to make a
comeback with the Dolphins in July 1972, Clancy suffered another
injury, this time to his back, resulting in Clancy being placed in
traction for ten days in a Miami hospital. In all, Clancy played in
36 games for the Dolphins and Packers, compiling professional
career totals of 104 receptions for 1,301 yards.
Rick Norton was Clancy's teammate both
in Miami and Green Bay.
Career Statistics
|
Year |
Team |
G |
Rec. |
Yds |
Avg |
TD |
Rushes |
Yards |
Avg. |
TD |
Kickoff |
Yards |
Avg. |
TD |
Punts |
Yards |
Avg |
TD |
| 1963 |
Michigan |
|
4 |
78 |
19.5 |
1 |
34 |
131 |
3.2 |
0 |
9 |
221 |
24.6 |
0 |
10 |
105 |
10.5 |
0 |
| 1965 |
Michigan |
|
52 |
762 |
14.7 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1966 |
Michigan |
|
76 |
1077 |
14.2 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
7 |
3.5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
132 |
1917 |
14.5 |
10 |
34 |
131 |
3.2 |
0 |
11 |
228 |
20.7 |
0 |
10 |
105 |
10.5 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1967 |
Miami |
14 |
67 |
868 |
13 |
2 |
3 |
-4 |
-1.3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1969 |
Miami |
8 |
21 |
289 |
13.8 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1970 |
Green Bay |
14 |
16 |
244 |
15.3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| TOTAL |
36 |
104 |
1,401 |
13.5 |
38.9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
- 100-Yard Games
|
Week |
Day |
Date |
Team |
Opponent |
Score |
Rec. |
Yards |
TDs |
Avg. |
| 4 |
Sun |
1967-10-08 |
MIA |
KAN |
0–41 |
6 |
102 |
0 |
17 |
| 9 |
Sun |
1967-11-19 |
MIA |
OAK |
17–31 |
8 |
114 |
0 |
14.3 |
| 11 |
Sun |
1967-12-03 |
MIA |
HOU |
14–17 |
7 |
126 |
1 |
18 |
N.B. All games were
road losses.
See also
Notes
Further reading
- Bruce Madej, "Michigan: Champions of the West" (1997 Sports
Publishing), p. 145.
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