Joe Clancy – Riddaren i nöden

Årets upplaga av Superserien har varit fylld med duktiga importer, både amerikanska och europeiska. Vi har dessvärre fått se ett flertal lämna ligan på grund av allvarliga skador, så som Adam Grant i Jets, Daniel Stadler i Crusaders och kanske den mest kritiska av alla, quarterbacken Andrew Shoop i Örebro.

Eftersom tiden var knapp att få hit en ny import så att han hann bli spelklar innan sista grundseriematchen var det ett par hektiska dygn för Örebros sportchef och offensiva koordinator med många sena nätter och en mäng telefonsamtal till andra sidan Atlanten. Men när röken hade lagts sig var Black Knightsledningen mer än nöjd, man hade hittat sin riddare i nöden.

Namn: Joseph ”Joe” Clancy
Position: QB
Klubb: Örebro Black Knights
Ålder: 23 år
Vikt: 97 kg
Längd: 190 cm
College: Merrimack Warriors, NCAA DII (NE-10)

Joe Clancy kommer från en inte allt för välkänd DII-skola i Massachusetts, Merrimack Warriors, men Joe har ändå en ganska imponerande bakgrund. Han har spelat hela fem år på skolan och kunde lägga allt fokus på fotbollen sitt sista år eftersom han var klar med det mesta i skolväg redan efter det fjärde året. Under sitt sista år på skolan blev han även uttagen att spela för Team America i Medal of Honor Bowl, en match där han spelade både med och mot mestadels DI-spelare från bland annat TCU, Texas, Florida och Baylor.

Joe Clancy, Medal of Honor Bowl 2014

Joe har blivit utsedd till ”NE-10 Offensive Player of the Year” och “First team All-Conference” två gånger under sin tid på Merrimack samt innehar bland annat ett av divisionens rekord, flest pass yards under en säsong (4116 yards).
Han har även vunnit ”Harry Agganis Award” (mest enastående spelaren i New England alla divisioner). På Merrimacks Pro Day fick Joe chansen att visa vad han kund prestera och ett flertal NFL-lag visade intresse för hans prestation.

 I had one scout tell me that Clancy wasn’t just on their board as a guy they wanted to snag in free agency, this team had him as a draftable guy. You think about that, sometimes I do, I sit back and think of where we’re coming from and where we’re going as a program and it’s exciting. - HC Dan Curran

Clancys Pro Day resultat

• 40 Yrd Dash: 4.99
• 20 Yrd Dash: 2.84
• 10 Yrd Dash: 1.71
• Vertical Jump: 24
• Broad Jump: 08’00″
• 20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.61
• 3-Cone Drill: 7.25

Joe har dock inte gått obemärkt förbi NFL-scouterna trots att han inte blev draftad av något lag i år. Han var listad på topp 50 av samtliga quarterbacks innan draften enligt nfldraftscout.com och Gil Brandt, som är NFL Media senior analyst, har honom på plats 9/15 bland osignade quarterbacks i en lista där de flesta av hans konkurrenter redan blivit upplockade av ett NFL-lag!

Gils lista

1. Connor Shaw, South Carolina (UPDATE: Shaw signed with the Cleveland Browns on Saturday.)
2. Brett Smith, Wyoming (UPDATE: Smith signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday.)
3. Jeff Matthews, Cornell (UPDATE: Matthews signed with the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday.)
4. Stephen Morris, Miami (UPDATE: Morris signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday.)
5. Jordan Lynch, N. Illinois (UPDATE: Lynch tweeted Saturday he signed with the Chicago Bears.)
6. Dustin Vaughn, W.Texas A&M (UPDATE: Vaughn signed with the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday.)
7. Casey Pachall, TCU (UPDATE: Pachall signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL.)
8. Brendon Kay, Cincinnati (UPDATE: Kay signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday.)
9. Joe Clancy, Merrimack (UPDATE: Joe signed with the Orebro Black Knights on Friday.)
10. Bryn Renner, North Carolina (UPDATE: Renner signed with the Denver Broncos on Saturday.)
11. Chase Rettig, Boston Col. (UPDATE: Rettig signed with the Green Bay Packers on Saturday.)
12. Keith Price, Washington (UPDATE: Price signed with the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday.)
13. Tommy Rees, Notre Dame (UPDATE: Rees signed with the Washington Redskins.)
14. Brock Jensen, N. Dakota St. (UPDATE: Jensen signed with the Miami Dolphins on Saturday.)
15. DeNarius McGhee, Montana St.

Joe Clancy, Merrimack Warriors 2013

Om Joe är så bra som hans meriter visar och han fungerar bra med laget och dess ledning ser jag det inte som en omöjlighet att man försöker få tillbaka honom till 2015. Att kunna binda tills sig en quarterback redan nu som man kan jobba med under en hel försäsong kan vara ovärdeligt och Örebro har ju haft vissa problem historiskt med att få tag i just rätt spelare på den positionen.

CAREER HIGHS
Points scored: 6, 10 times
Touchdowns: 1, 10 times

Rush attempts: 10, New Haven, 10/12/13 
Rush yards: 46, at Southern Conn. St., 09/20/2013 (7 carries)
Rush TDs: 1, 10 times
Long rush: 27, at Stonehill College, 10/13/12  Pass attempts: 81, American Int’l, 9/15/2012

Pass completions: 51, New Haven, 10/12/13 
Pass yards: 571, at American Int’l, Sep 13, 2013
Pass TDs: 7, Pace, 09/28/13 ; Saint Anselm, 10/20/12 
Had intercepted: 3, at Bentley, 10/27/12 ; Saint Anselm, Nov 10, 2012 
Long pass: 91, Saint Anselm, Nov 10, 2012 

Receptions: 7, American Int’l, 10/30/10 
Receiving yards: 54, American Int’l, 10/30/10 (7 receptions)
Long reception: 20, at New Haven, Oct 23, 2010 

Total offense attempts: 90, American Int’l, 9/15/2012 (9 rush,81 pass)
Total ofense yards: 567, at American Int’l, Sep 13, 2013 (-4 rush,571 pass)
All-purpose yards: 46, at Southern Conn. St., 09/20/2013 ; American Int’l, 10/30/10 

Tackles: 1, 4 times 

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Örebros artikel om Joe “NFL-aktuella Joe Clancy klar för Örebro”

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Här nedan kan ni läsa en intressant artikel om Merrimacks Pro Day.

Här hittar ni bilder från densamma.

“Merrimack College held its third annual NFL Pro Day on Thursday and senior quarterback Joe Clancy had most of the eyeballs fixated on him.

Clancy, who shattered nearly every Merrimack passing record and most of the Northeast-10’s, has been working out in Florida since the competition of the fall semester; he was a fifth-year senior after applying for a redshirt season.

“It’s definitely helped him,” Merrimack head coach Dan Curran said. “A lot of times, in D2, guys don’t get that chance. You don’t see guys redshirt a lot because if they’re that good, they’re playing right away and you usually don’t have the depth. With Joe, having this time to really work on his mechanics and he’s gotten stronger – he has always has great football IQ – he definitely hasn’t even hit his ceiling yet.”

Shane Ferguson, Quinn McDonough, Michael Hubbard and Artis Holt, fellow 2014 graduates, also participated as well as 2013 graduates Isaiah Voegeli and Kevin Marks.

New England Patriots scout Brandon Yeargan conducted the day’s workout, which included several events: the vertical jump, broad jump, bench press, shuttle cone runs, 40-yard dash, individual workouts and positional drill workouts.

Curran said about five or six teams are seriously considering Clancy, who has helped re-shape Merrimack’s program the past five seasons. Teams that were unable to make Merrimack’s pro day, which is late in the season compared to others, asked the coaching staff to send tape of Clancy throwing, Curran said.

“I look at Joe the same way I look at a guy like Ryan Fitzpatrick,” Curran said. “He’s taken the program and has brought it to another level. You look at what he did, and realistically he could go down as one of the best to ever play in this conference. A bad day for him is four touchdowns and a pick.”

Several AFC teams have kept a close eye on Clancy as he has participated at pro days, including Harvard’s, as well as at the Medal of Honor Bowl last fall. The Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts and New York Jets are just a few of the teams taking notice.

“Even some teams that can’t make it (to the pro day), they want us to send them tape the same day,” Curran said. “It’s great for the program. This shows that kids can come here and get noticed. Just look at guys like (Shawn) Loiseau, Tony Johnson (James) Suozzo. I think we’re starting to get a reputation as a program that can help you develop.”

Just based on his position, with only three spots available per team, the path to an NFL roster spot for Clancy is long and filled with more obstacles than if he were a linebacker or running back, where special teams might be an option. But after watching him carve up the rest of the NE-10 the past three seasons, Curran believes his quarterback has what it takes.

“First of all, his IQ is excellent,” he said, “and I mean off the charts. His footwork has gotten a lot better, he has a great arm. It’s definitely hardest for quarterbacks, running backs and kickers, though.

“Usually at this time of year, you start to see guys who were over-projected slip, other guys stay where they are and others are rising. Joe is definitely in the camp that is rising. He’s sort of a late bloomer as it is, but his stock has really risen the last few months and a lot of teams are interested in seeing him live or on video (from our pro day).”

He continued, “I had one scout tell me that (Clancy) wasn’t just on their board as a guy they wanted to snag in free agency, this team had him as a draftable guy. You think about that, sometimes I do, I sit back and think of where we’re coming from and where we’re going as a program and it’s exciting.”

The NFL Draft starts on May 8 and will conclude on May 10. Merrimack also announced that it will holds its annual spring game on April 26 at 1 p.m. at Martone-Mejail Field.”

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THE BEST QB NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT : MERRIMACK’S JOE CLANCY

By: Shaun DePasquale (@ShaunDoesDraft)

If I told you there was a QB at the Division II level that is playing at a Peyton Manning-like caliber, would you know the name? Odds are, you wouldn’t . Division II prospect are rarely ever talked about, but a handful of them make it into the NFL Draft, and even more stick on practice squads from the undrafted ranks. Merrimack QB Joe Clancy has the appearance of a player that can make it at the next level. Last season Clancy, a big 6’3 signal-caller from Newburyport MA, passed for 3,945 yards with 31 touchdowns to 15 interceptions. He was named the Northeast-10 Conference Offensive Player of the Year, and 1st-team All-Conference. Clancy wasn’t satisfied, and wanted to take the next step. “Heading into my senior season, I wanted to work on, and improve, my red-zone efficiency and eliminate turnovers” said Clancy.

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So far, so good. Through 5 games of his senior campaign Clancy has gone to another stratosphere, already passing for 1,971 yards with 25 touchdowns to just 3 interceptions. With 5 games remaining on the schedule, Clancy is on pace for 50 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions. He’s completing 63% of his passes (179/283) while spreading the ball to 12 different receivers. Clancy was spectacular in a season-opening thriller vs. FCS opponent Wagner College, where he keyed the game-winning touchdown drive in the waning seconds of a 42-41 triumph. That night, Clancy kicked off the season by going 35 of 50 for 309 yards with 4 touchdowns and no turnovers. On Saturday, Joe had what would be considered a normal day for most against Long Island-Post, going 39 for 66 with 3 touchdowns and an interception in a 26-21 win. In that game, Clancy showed his ability to adapt under fire.

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“They took away a lot of the stuff that we like to do, and it was hard to get into a rhythm. I was definitely not on my A game, but I was very happy to leave with a win.”

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Beyond mere statistics, I have been blown away by the actual player I see on the field in Clancy. Joe operates mostly out of the shotgun, but throws from within the pocket, and displays an uncanny ability to stand strong in the face of a direct pass-rush and deliver accurate, pin-point passes. Much like the elite passers at any level, Joe lulls you to sleep. Everything he throws hits the numbers, in stride. The great ones make it look too easy. They don’t flash, they just work. Clancy has a tremendous amount of potential as a smart, accurate pocket-passer coming out of college. I have been downright excited in tracking his progress this season, and look forward to seeing him in the postseason workouts and pre-draft.

In Clancy’s own words .. “all I want is a shot, because I know once they see what I’m capable of, someone will want me.”

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