Born to run (and hit)
Casey Clifton looks the part. Square jaw and tightly cropped hair, ala Brian Urlacher, pointing and barking out defensive adjustments at the line of scrimmage.
More importantly, Clifton plays the part. Barging up the middle on a blitz, forcing the quarterback to flee the pocket into the arms of a nearby Whitworth defender.
Some things are made for each other. A perfect example – Clifton and the middle linebacker position.
“It really fits my mentality,” the Pirate senior says. “When I’m on the field, all I want is to go around and hit people. That’s the part of the game that’s most fun for me – contact every play.”
It is a requirement of the position that Clifton doesn’t take for granted, even though he’s been doing it for the better part of four years in the heart of the Pirate defense.
“I take every play like it could be the last one and it’s a big deal,” said Clifton, a first-team All-Northwest Conference selection in 2005 and the conference’s defensive player of the year last season. “That’s the way I try to attack the game.”
That approach has led to 186 career tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, six forced fumbles and an interception. The numbers are impressive; the manner in which they’ve been accumulated perhaps even more so.
“He’s the best middle linebacker we’ve had since I’ve been here, hands down,” said 13-year head coach John Tully. “He’s a special player, very aggressive, intelligent, wonderful instincts and he comes to play. He loves to play.”
Tully and defensive coordinator Kirk Westre called Clifton something of a throwback. Westre won’t be invited to participate in fashion reviews from the red carpet anytime soon, but he knows a middle linebacker when he sees him.
“He’s got the short hair, square jaw, tattoo. He’s a big weight room guy, he’s got the bare arms, biceps showing. He’s a good ol’ hard-nosed guy who loves to hit you in the mouth,” Westre said. “He looks like Urlacher when you see him on the street. I had him in class. You get him in a classroom and he’s a very good student, turns in great work, nice contributions to the discussions.”
There’s much more to Clifton than just on-field collisions. Teammates voted the University High graduate as a team captain. Perhaps the best insight comes from Jake Riley, who has backed up Clifton for four years without complaint.
“We’re friends; we hang out sometimes on the weekends,” Riley said. “He’s just a great guy. Just because we play the same position, it doesn’t affect our friendship at all. From watching him the last four years, I’ve learned a lot from him. If I have a question I go to him and he helps me out to get better, too.”
Tully pauses when asked about Clifton’s best game in a Whitworth uniform.
“He’s had so many; he shows up every game,” Tully said. “I’d have to say Linfield last year. He dominated. He stole the ball and scored a touchdown that was a difference in the game.”
Clifton, who is considering coaching as a profession after he finishes up at Whitworth, is one of a numerous playmakers on the defense. The unit is allowing just 11.2 points per game heading into Saturday’s Pine Bowl showdown with Pacific Lutheran, which leads NWC teams in scoring at 41.8 points per game. Clifton is eighth on the team in tackles, partly a function of the defensive balance and the attention he’s receiving after making 102 stops last season.
“We have other guys they have to account for,” Tully said. “If they do (scheme for Clifton), it opens up doors for other people and that’s part of the reason Greg (Caster) and Marc (Grow), aside from being great players, are having good years.”
Clifton said he’s fine with his statistics as long as Whitworth’s win column continues to grow.
“I was just talking to my parents about it and it’s a little frustrating,” he said of his tackle numbers, “but all I want right now is to keep winning. That’s all I want.”
Spoken like a true middle linebacker.