The story of a walk-on can be one of the most compelling in all of sports.
Some may have been overlooked as recruits in high school but have found success at the collegiate level as hidden gems. When looking for such a story on West Virginia’s roster, there are a couple but look no further than Hudson Clement.
Clement, an in-state product from Martinsburg, redshirted as a freshman in 2022 but had an immense breakout last season in WVU’s home opener against Duquesne. He finished the game with 177 receiving yards and three touchdowns, good enough to be awarded a scholarship postgame for his performance. He also finished the season as one of the Mountaineers’ top receivers.
As his career progresses, he looks to be more than just that one-game performance/season and more than just a heartfelt walk-on story; he wants to show everyone how truly talented he is and has put a lot of pressure on himself to do so.
“He’s really putting a lot of pressure on himself and the message all week was just relax and play. And he did so proud of him,” West Virginia head coach Neal Brown said Saturday after the win over Kansas.
Clement was a critical factor in WVU’s victory; he finished the game with seven catches for 150 yards. Brown further explained Clement’s mindset.
“So obviously had the special season last year, and y’all heard me tell like he’s a high-end player,” Brown said. “Duquesne last year, when he had the big breakout, and I was like, ‘Hey, this is a cool story, but I’m telling you he’s a good player. This isn’t like one time where he gets three touchdowns not to be heard of.’ Like he’s a really good player, and he was so held down just making sure that everybody knew he was a good player that he was putting a lot of pressure on himself.”
Clement also stresses trying to be perfect to prove himself, which he knows is unrealistic, but he has tried to take Brown’s message of ‘just relax and play.’
“I had a good year last year, but I’m obviously trying to be better going into this year. But sometimes, I put a little added pressure on myself that I don’t need to do. I’m sort of trying to be perfect in everything I do,” Clement said. “That’s unrealistic and sometimes you just got to go out there and play.”
Heading into this season, Clement felt improvement over the offseason and had a boost of confidence in being a difference-maker in West Virginia’s offense.
“This offseason, I thought I took a big jump,” Clement said. “This year, I felt like going into it, I was ready to compete and be a big part of this offense.”
Through three weeks, Clement is currently the Mountaineers’ leading receiver in terms of yards, with 231 and has one touchdown on 14 receptions. WVU is currently on a bye, but when they return to game action, look for Clement to continue to make a difference.
