Eugene Clifford
Encyclopedia
Eugene Clifford is an American football
safety who is currently a free agent
. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens
as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football
for Tennessee State University
and Ohio State University
.
, Clifford attended Colerain High School where he collected 130 tackles and had four interceptions his senior season when he helped lead the team to a 15-0 record and the state championship. He was named Ohio's 2006 Division I Defensive Player of the Year, and earned All-American honors from USA Today
and Parade
. In the 2007 U.S. Army All-American Bowl
he caught two interceptions.
Regarded as a five-star recruit by Scout.com
, Clifford was ranked as the No. 2 safety prospect in the class of 2007, behind only Chad Jones
.
, before being suspended in December 2007 for violating team rules. In July 2008 he was charged with misdemeanor assault, accused of punching two employees of a sports bar. Later that month, he transferred to Tennessee State.
In his first season with the Tigers
, he started all 12 games and finished second on team in tackles with 61 (42 solo, 19 assists). He also recorded three interceptions for 81 yards. Clifford received TSU Football Joe W. Gilliam Defensive Player of the Year Award and was named All-Ohio Valley Conference
Second Team.
After finishing his junior season as the third leading tackler for the Big Blue, being credited with 60 stops (34 solo), 2 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions with 12 passes defended (5 break-up), he was named All-OVC First Team.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
safety who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University is a land-grant university located in Nashville, Tennessee. TSU is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee.-History:...
and Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
.
Early years
A native of Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Clifford attended Colerain High School where he collected 130 tackles and had four interceptions his senior season when he helped lead the team to a 15-0 record and the state championship. He was named Ohio's 2006 Division I Defensive Player of the Year, and earned All-American honors from USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
and Parade
Parade (magazine)
Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
. In the 2007 U.S. Army All-American Bowl
U.S. Army All-American Bowl
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is a high school football all-star game held in early January in San Antonio, Texas. Currently played in the Alamodome, the game brings 90 of the nation's top high school football players in an East versus West matchup. In addition to the Bowl game, there is the U.S...
he caught two interceptions.
Regarded as a five-star recruit by Scout.com
Scout.com
Scout.com is an integrated sports publishing company that produces both an Internet and print product. Scout has more than 2.1 million visitors...
, Clifford was ranked as the No. 2 safety prospect in the class of 2007, behind only Chad Jones
Chad Jones (American football)
Chad D'Orsey Jones is an American football safety for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Giants in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football and college baseball at Louisiana State.-Early years:Jones attended St...
.
College career
Clifford played four games as a true freshman at Ohio State UniversityOhio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, before being suspended in December 2007 for violating team rules. In July 2008 he was charged with misdemeanor assault, accused of punching two employees of a sports bar. Later that month, he transferred to Tennessee State.
In his first season with the Tigers
Tennessee State Tigers football
The Tennessee State Tigers are the college football team representing the Tennessee State University. The Tigers play in NCAA Division I Football Championship as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference.-National championships:*1946*1947*1954*1956*1965...
, he started all 12 games and finished second on team in tackles with 61 (42 solo, 19 assists). He also recorded three interceptions for 81 yards. Clifford received TSU Football Joe W. Gilliam Defensive Player of the Year Award and was named All-Ohio Valley Conference
Ohio Valley Conference
The Ohio Valley Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the midwestern and southeastern United States. It participates in Division I of the NCAA; the conference's football programs compete in the Football Championship Subdivision , the lower of two levels of Division I...
Second Team.
After finishing his junior season as the third leading tackler for the Big Blue, being credited with 60 stops (34 solo), 2 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions with 12 passes defended (5 break-up), he was named All-OVC First Team.