West Virginia head coach Neal Brown says life is always about opportunities.
West Virginia wide receiver Hudson Clement took full advantage of his on Saturday, scoring three touchdowns, and earning a scholarship after the game.
“Honestly I’d say the scholarship. That’s something when I came here I knew I’d have to grind for and everyday you’re sort of playing with that in your mind,” Clement said. “That’s sort of the goal. Three touchdowns, obviously a crazy accomplishment, especially first game, but that scholarship really is just the biggest thing for me.”
Clement’s final line was five catches for 177 yards and three touchdowns. Clement found out he was starting just prior to the game after WVU scratched Devin Carter. Clement put on a show in his first-ever game, tallying touchdowns that went for 14 yards, 70 yards, and 46 yards — all in the first half.
“I have the upmost confidence in myself to perform at a high level,” Clement said. “Three touchdowns, no one really expects to go into a game, their first college football game, playing like that and score three touchdowns, but I was confident in myself.”
It was just moments before kickoff against Duquesne that Clement found out he would be taking the field with the first-team offense. Clement said he had a few nerves on the first few plays, but he was ready when his number was called.
I think we were coming out of the tunnel, we just did our little warmup with Mike Joseph (strength coach),” Clement said. “Then Coach [Marshall], the receiver coach said, ‘ hey you’re going to play Z’. I was like, sounds good coach.”
“I think I like it better that way he didn’t tell me ahead of time because I think I would’ve thought about it a lot more, been in my head,” Clement added.
Clement is not new to the spotlight. A Martinsburg, West Virginia, native, Clement scored eight touchdowns in the 2021 WVSSAC AAA State Championship game.
“After the third [touchdown], it sort of feels like that feeling back then when I was in high school and they felt very similar,” Clement said.
Part of the story of Saturday was the almost two-hour weather delay both teams had to endure. Clement’s first touchdown came in the first quarter, while the other two came right after the break.
“We were in there, Coach Brown was talking to us and it’s adversity,” Clement said. “We had to go out there, we didn’t start how we wanted to then we got a little break. He was just saying how it’s rainy, we had a big delay, and he was just saying, good. It’s a good challenge, we can go finish this game how we want to.”
Clement finished the game how he certainly wanted to, and earned himself a scholarship in the locker room after the game.
“Life’s about opportunities and what do you do with your opportunities. And what he did with his, he had five catches for 177 yards, three touchdowns, and he earned a scholarship,” Brown said. “He’s not one of these guys that’s just going to be okay, he’s got a real chance.”
After earning the scholarship, Clement said one of his goals is complete, but that doesn’t mean he will become complacent.
“That was the number one drive of this past year and going into this year. I’m grinding for something, I’m grinding for that scholarship,” Clement said. “Now that I got it, doesn’t mean the work’s done, doesn’t mean the job’s done. But obviously it’s a great feeling.”
Photo by Aaron Parker, Blue Gold Sports
