Ready to prove himself
Casey Clifton is ready to go.
After a year as a redshirt freshman and a year as the Whitworth Pirates’ middle linebacker understudy, the former University High standout is ready to assume the starting role.
“I am ready,” Clifton said. “I’m excited, and I’m ready to get out there and go to work.”
After being a linchpin for the Titans during his high school career, Clifton spent his entire first season standing on the sidelines at Whitworth.
“That was so hard,” he admitted. “After playing so much as a senior, to not play at all was really difficult for me. But we had a really good middle linebacker that I learned a lot from. Looking back, I needed that time to learn the college game.”
As a redshirt freshman last year Clifton earned his way onto the field as a backup, collecting 15 tackles, including a season high five against Willamette.
“Even though I didn’t get the chance to start last year, just the fact that I was able to get out on the field and, more importantly, to prove to myself that I can do some things on the field, has really helped me,” he said.
Actually, under a new defensive coordinator and a new defensive scheme, the game got a bit easier last year.
“Really, the defense we run now is pretty much the same as what we ran at U-Hi,” he said. “The only thing that really changed was the terminology. It was pretty easy for me to pick that part up.”
When practice begins Aug. 20 at Whitworth, Clifton will be listed as the starting middle linebacker on the depth chart.
“It’s a little different going in as the starter instead of looking for playing time,” Clifton said. “You want to make sure that you’re the best one out there, and you want to prove yourself as much as possible.”
Making the transition from high school football to the college game has been a challenge, Clifton said.
“It’s been tough,” he said. “The biggest difference from high school ball has been the speed.
“And I’ve had to spend a lot more time doing things off the field to prepare myself than I have had to spend on the field – looking at film and going over playbooks. There’s a lot more mental preparation that goes into playing college football than there was in high school.”
Clifton said the approach to playing his position is different in college.
“In high school, you pretty much just went out there and react and go to the ball,” he said. “You can’t do that here. In college you pretty much have to be able to read and have some idea what’s going to happen before it actually happens.”
Added to that are the unique demands placed on the middle linebacker. The position is key against the run and is responsible for calling plays for the defense.
“I have to know what we’re doing every minute I’m out there,” Clifton said.
The demands on a college football player also are greater, he said. Even when that player is a standout and leader on their team.
“In high school, you always have a new crop of players coming in every year and you always start from scratch,” he said. “You start with the fundamentals and you build up from there.
“In college, they expect you to know all the fundamentals and to know what’s required to play your position. They expect you to have the speed and the strength you need, and the skills you need to play your position. You may spend a day reviewing fundamentals, if that.”
Clifton said he enjoys the atmosphere at Whitworth, a Division III school.
“It’s actually been a good blend between academics and athletics,” he said. “At this point, I’m glad that I chose to attend a small school. The experience has been great. I’m really happy with the guys I play with and with the coaches. In fact, I’ve enjoyed my time there even more than I thought I would.”
Clifton has been so taken with the academic atmosphere that he’s chosen to attack a double business major.
“Right now, I have three years of eligibility left and I’ll probably play all three years,” he said. “The way I have it figured, it will take me an extra semester to finish the double major and I will probably play football that semester.