Jack Clancy
Encyclopedia
Jack David Clancy is a former American football
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...

 wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...

 who played for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

 in 1967 and 1969 and for the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...

 in 1970. He also played in college for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...

 Wolverines
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...

 from 1963 to 1966.

At Michigan, Clancy started as a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...

, switched to halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...

, returned punts
Punt returner
Punt returner is a position on special teams in American football.-Description:The role of a punt returner is to catch the ball after it is punted and to give his team good field position by returning it. Before catching the punted ball, the returner must assess the situation on the field while...

 and kickoffs, and became a star as an end. In two seasons as an end (1965–1966), Clancy rewrote the Michigan receiving record book. At the time of his graduation, he held the school records for most receptions
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...

 and receiving
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...

 yard
Yard
A yard is a unit of length in several different systems including English units, Imperial units and United States customary units. It is equal to 3 feet or 36 inches...

s in a career, season and game. His 1966 total of 197 receiving yards against Oregon State
Oregon State Beavers football
The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I-A college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893 and is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The head coach is Mike Riley, with Danny Langsdorf as the offensive...

 remained Michigan's single-game receiving record until November 6, 2010. He was named an All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...

 and also set the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...

 record for most receptions in a single season of conference play. Though most of his records have since been broken, Clancy continues to rank among the leading receivers in Michigan history.

Clancy was drafted by the Miami Dolphins of the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...

 (AFL). In 1967, quarterback Bob Griese
Bob Griese
Robert Allen "Bob" Griese is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback who earned All-American honors with the Purdue Boilermakers before being drafted in 1967 by the American Football League's Miami Dolphins...

 and Clancy were both rookies for the Dolphins. Clancy caught 67 passes
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...

 that year, setting an AFL rookie record. He was third in the AFL in receptions in 1967 and eighth in receiving yards. He was named to the 1967 AFL All-star game. After a sensational rookie season, Clancy suffered a serious knee injury in a 1968 exhibition game and missed the entire season. While making a comeback in 1969, Clancy suffered an injury to his other knee. Traded to the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...

 in 1970, Clancy was unable to return to his prior form after the knee injuries. He made only 16 receptions in 14 games and was released by the Packers before the start of the 1971 season.

College

A native of Humboldt, Iowa
Humboldt, Iowa
Humboldt is a city in Humboldt County, Iowa, United States. The population was 4,690 at the 2010 census, gaining 238 people since the 2000 census.- History :...

, Clancy's family moved to the Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...

 area, where Clancy attended elementary school. His family next moved to Garden City, Michigan, where Clancy attended Garden City schools, then the family moved to Detroit where he graduated in 1962 from St. Mary of Redford High School in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...

. Clancy then enrolled at the University of Michigan. As a freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...

 in 1962, Clancy was on the roster as a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...

 but did not play.

1963 season

In 1963, Clancy appeared in nine games as a halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...

 and also returned punts
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....

 and kickoffs
Kickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...

. He generated 520 yards of total offense
Total offense
Total offense is an American football and Canadian football statistic representing the total number of yards rushing and yards passing by a team or player...

: 228 yards on kickoff returns, 109 yards rushing
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...

, 105 yards on punt returns, and 78 yard receiving. Against Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are the college sports team for the University of Minnesota. The university fields both men's and women's teams in basketball, cross country, gymnastics, golf, ice hockey, swimming, tennis, and track and field. Men's-specific sports include baseball, football, and...

 in 1963, he fumbled a punt at Michigan's 35-yard line; the ball rolled toward the Michigan goal line and was recovered by Michigan at its own 16-yard line. Michigan punted from deep in its own territory on second down, and Minnesota cashed in on the field position with the game's only touchdown in a 6–0 Minnesota victory.

1964 season

Clancy was named the starting halfback before the start of the 1964 season. However, he suffered a back injury in September 1964 and spent more than two weeks in the University Hospital before being released on September 17, 1964. As a result of the injury, Clancy missed Michigan's Big Ten championship season in 1964, as Jim Detwiler
Jim Detwiler
Jim Detwiler is a former American football halfback who was the 20th pick in the first round of the 1967 NFL Draft. Before this he had been an All= Big Ten Conference player for the Michigan Wolverines from 1964 to 1966...

 took over his halfback spot. Clancy was given an extra year of eligibility for missing the 1964 season. Quarterback Dick Vidmer also missed the 1964 season with a broken leg; Vidmer and Clancy would return from their injuries as a powerful passing and receiving combination in 1966.

1965 season

In 1965, Clancy switched to end and became the first Michigan Wolverine
Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...

 with 50 receptions
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...

 in a season
Season (sports)
In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...

, and set Michigan single-season records with 52 receptions and 762 yards. In his first game at the end position, Clancy made what was described as "a circus catch" in the endzone on a pass from quarterback Dick Vidmer. Clancy set the Big Ten receiving record in against Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...

, catching a 52-yard touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...

 pass from quarterback Wally Gabler
Wally Gabler
Wallace "Wally" Gabler is a retired professional American football player. He was the starting quarterback for the 1965 Michigan Wolverines football team and played seven seasons in the Canadian Football League.-Early years:...

 on Michigan's first offensive play. At the time, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...

 reported: "What makes Clancy's record so much more impressive is the fact that he came to Michigan as a quarterback, switched to halfback and won a spot there two years ago and then turned to end this season. And with Michigan's reputation for always having talented ends—Benny Oosterbaan
Bennie Oosterbaan
Benjamin Gaylord "Bennie" Oosterbaan was a three-time first team All-American football end for the Michigan Wolverines football team, two-time All-American basketball player for the basketball team and an All-Big Ten Conference baseball player for the baseball team...

, Lowell Perry, Ron Kramer
Ron Kramer
Ronald J. Kramer was a multi-sport college athlete and professional American football player. Before embarking on a career in the National Football League, he lettered in football, basketball, and track at the University of Michigan in the 1950s...

 and John Henderson among them—Clancy's feat takes on even more brilliance." At the end of the season, Clancy's teammates chose him as captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...

 for the 1966 season. He was also named a second-team All-Big Ten player by the United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...

 (UPI).

1966 season

Before the 1966 season, Clancy spent the summer in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...

 practicing with Michigan's quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...

 Dick Vidmer, cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...

 Mike Bass and safety Rick Volk
Rick Volk
Richard Robert Volk is a former American football player.Volk played college football for the University of Michigan from 1964 to 1966 and was a member of the 1964 team that won the Big Ten Conference championship and defeated Oregon State in the 1965 Rose Bowl...

. Clancy and Vidmer worked as a unit through the summer, trying to outmaneuver Bass and Volk. Clancy noted, "If I could catch three or four passes
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...

 against those guys I'd be doing good." The summer sessions paid off, as both Clancy and Volk were named All-Americans in 1966. Michigan opened the season with a 41–0 win over Oregon State
Oregon State Beavers football
The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I-A college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893 and is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The head coach is Mike Riley, with Danny Langsdorf as the offensive...

. In that game, Vidmer threw 10 passes
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...

 to Clancy for 197 yards. Vidmer's first completion to Clancy went for 49 yards and set up Michigan's first touchdown. After the game, the UPI wrote that Clancy and Vidmer were "almost too good for each other." Clancy also led the attack in a 49–0 win over Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...

 on October 22, 1966, catching 10 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns, including a 56-yard touchdown pass. In 1966, Clancy had three games in which he caught at least 10 catches and broke his own school records with 76 receptions for 1,079 yards. His 50 receptions and 698 yards in conference play were also new Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...

 records. He was named an All-American
1966 College Football All-America Team
The 1966 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that choose College All-America teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams were Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Central Press Association, Football Writers...

 in 1966 and also received the team's Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...

 award.

Records

After the 1966 season, Clancy held most major school receiving records at Michigan, as well as many Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...

 records. His accomplishments included:
  • Single season receptions in Big Ten Conference play. Clancy was the first player with 50 receptions in Big Ten Conference play (in only seven conference games). His record was broken in 1980 when Keith Chappelle (Iowa
    Iowa Hawkeyes football
    The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...

    ) and Dave Young (Purdue
    Purdue Boilermakers football
    The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of...

    ) each recorded 51 receptions in eight conference games. The record was not broken on a per game rate until 1983 when Ricky Edwards (Northwestern
    Northwestern Wildcats football
    The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...

    ) recorded 68 receptions in nine games.
  • Career receptions and receiving yards. Clancy set Michigan career records with 132 receptions and 1,919 receiving yards. Anthony Carter broke Clancy's career receiving yards record in 1981 and his receptions record in 1982. Clancy now ranks eleventh in receptions and thirteenth in yardage.
  • Single game receiving yards. Clancy's 197 yards receiving was unsurpassed as the Michigan single-game record until Roy Roundtree
    Roy Roundtree
    -College:Roundtree redshirted for the 2008 season. He made his college debut on September 5, 2009 against the Western Michigan Broncos at Michigan Stadium as a slot receiver. That year he roomed with Trotwood teammates Shaw and Moore. He had just two receptions in the first eight games of the...

     posted 246 on November 6, 2010. He is also the only receiver with two of the top seven and three of the top sixteen yardage games. In addition to the 197-yard effort, Clancy had 10 receptions for 166 yards against Minnesota
    Minnesota Golden Gophers football
    The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...

     and 11 receptions for 179 yards against the Illinois
    Illinois Fighting Illini football
    The Illinois Fighting Illini are a major college football program, representing the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. They compete in NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference.-Current staff:-All-time win/loss/tie record:*563-513-51...

    .
  • Single season receptions. Clancy also set the single-season receptions record with 76 catches in 1966 (playing a 10 game schedule). Marquise Walker
    Marquise Walker
    Marquise Walker is a former professional American football wide receiver and punt returner who signed to play in the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Michigan where he set many of the school's receiving records and became an 2001 College Football...

     broke Clancy's record with 86 receptions in 2001 (playing a 13 game schedule). Clancy now ranks fifth in single-season receptions, but only Braylon Edwards
    Braylon Edwards
    -Cleveland Browns:-2005:Edwards began his rookie season as Cleveland's third wide receiver – he would have started higher, but a hold-out caused him to miss the beginning of training camp. Early in the season Edwards revealed that he had a staph infection, and missed a few weeks as a result of it....

     has matched him on a comparable games basis with 76 receptions in his first 10 games of 2004.
  • Single season yardage. Clancy also held the single-season yardage record of 1077 until 1994 when Amani Toomer
    Amani Toomer
    Amani Toomer is a retired American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan, where he was a fan favorite.Toomer has also been a member of the Kansas...

     recorded 1096 in 12 games. He currently ranks seventh on the single-season receptions list. No receiver has surpassed his single-season yardage total in the first 10 games of the season. Braylon Edwards
    Braylon Edwards
    -Cleveland Browns:-2005:Edwards began his rookie season as Cleveland's third wide receiver – he would have started higher, but a hold-out caused him to miss the beginning of training camp. Early in the season Edwards revealed that he had a staph infection, and missed a few weeks as a result of it....

     (76 receptions for 1049 yards in 2004) and Mario Manningham
    Mario Manningham
    Mario Cashmere Manningham is an American football wide receiver for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Giants in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...

     (62 receptions for 1062 yards in 2007) are the only other Michigan receivers to reach 1000 yards in their 10th game of a season.

Michigan single-season reception yardage

Player Rec.
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...

Yards Average Touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...

s
Long Year Games Rec. After
10th Game
Yards After
10th Game
1 Braylon Edwards
Braylon Edwards
-Cleveland Browns:-2005:Edwards began his rookie season as Cleveland's third wide receiver – he would have started higher, but a hold-out caused him to miss the beginning of training camp. Early in the season Edwards revealed that he had a staph infection, and missed a few weeks as a result of it....

 
97 1330 13.7 15 69 2004 12 76 1049
2 Mario Manningham
Mario Manningham
Mario Cashmere Manningham is an American football wide receiver for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Giants in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...

 
72 1174 16.4 12 97 2007 12 62 1062
3 Marquise Walker
Marquise Walker
Marquise Walker is a former professional American football wide receiver and punt returner who signed to play in the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Michigan where he set many of the school's receiving records and became an 2001 College Football...

 
86 1143 13.3 11 47 2001 12 66 883
4 Braylon Edwards
Braylon Edwards
-Cleveland Browns:-2005:Edwards began his rookie season as Cleveland's third wide receiver – he would have started higher, but a hold-out caused him to miss the beginning of training camp. Early in the season Edwards revealed that he had a staph infection, and missed a few weeks as a result of it....

 
85 1138 13.4 14 64 2003 13 59 789
5 David Terrell  67 1130 16.9 14 57 2000 12 58 895
6 Amani Toomer
Amani Toomer
Amani Toomer is a retired American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan, where he was a fan favorite.Toomer has also been a member of the Kansas...

 
54 1096 20.3 6 65 1994 12 46 938
7 Jack Clancy 76 1077 14.2 4 1966 10 76 1077

Michigan single-game reception yardage

Player Rec.
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...

Yards Average Touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...

s
Long Year Opponent
1 Jack Clancy 10 197 19.7 0 1966 Oregon State
2 Tai Streets
Tai Streets
Tai Streets is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League . He was selected with the second pick of the sixth round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He also played for the Detroit Lions in 2004. He was the leading receiver for the...

 
6 192 32 1 76 1998 Minnesota
3 Braylon Edwards
Braylon Edwards
-Cleveland Browns:-2005:Edwards began his rookie season as Cleveland's third wide receiver – he would have started higher, but a hold-out caused him to miss the beginning of training camp. Early in the season Edwards revealed that he had a staph infection, and missed a few weeks as a result of it....

 
11 189 17.2 3 46 2004 Michigan State
4 Derrick Alexander  7 188 26.9 2 90 1993 Illinois
5 Jim Smith
Jim Smith (American football)
Jim Smith is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for six seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League before starring on the Birmingham Stallions of the rival United States Football League...

 
5 184 36.8 1 83 1975 Purdue
6 Jack Clancy 11 179 16.3 1 1966 Illinois
15 Jack Clancy 10 166 16.6 2 1966 Minnesota

Note: the database used here includes statistics since 1949.

Miami Dolphins

Clancy was drafted in the third round of the 1966 AFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

 and the ninth pick of the fifth round of the 1966 NFL Draft
1966 NFL Draft
The 1966 National Football League Draft was held on November 27, 1965. It was the last draft in which the NFL and the AFL drafted their players separate of one another. As a result, many players selected by teams from both leagues would choose to play for the more established NFL, or in a rarer...

 (73rd overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals. However, he opted to redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...

 for an extra season at Michigan where he played the 1966 NCAA Division I-A football season. He joined the Dolphins for the 1967 AFL season. In 1967, the Dolphins' rookie quarterback Bob Griese
Bob Griese
Robert Allen "Bob" Griese is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback who earned All-American honors with the Purdue Boilermakers before being drafted in 1967 by the American Football League's Miami Dolphins...

 combined with rookie receiver Clancy for 67 receptions—an American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...

 rookie record for pass receptions. That year, Clancy led the Dolphins in receiving yardage and receptions, and finished eighth in the AFL in reception yards and third in receptions. He compiled three 100-yard receiving games, and he was named to the AFL All-Star Game.

In their second season together, Griese and Clancy were roommates in the pre-season and appeared ready to have a big year. The young "Griese-Clancy combine" was expected to be "a major drawing card" for the young AFL franchise in 1968. In the first three pre-season games in 1968, they connected for 19 receptions and 284 yards. However, Clancy suffered a ruptured ligament
Ligament
In anatomy, the term ligament is used to denote any of three types of structures. Most commonly, it refers to fibrous tissue that connects bones to other bones and is also known as articular ligament, articular larua, fibrous ligament, or true ligament.Ligament can also refer to:* Peritoneal...

 in his left knee shortly after catching a pass against the Baltimore Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....

 in the final pre-season game on August 31, 1968. Clancy underwent surgery and missed the 1968 season. Clancy watched the Dolphins from the sidelines with his leg in a cast, as Karl Noonan
Karl Noonan
Karl Noonan , is a former collegiate and professional football wide receiver. He played collegiately at the University of Iowa and professionally with the American Football League's Miami Dolphins from 1966 through 1969, and for the NFL's Dolphins from 1970 through 1972...

 took over at split end and led the AFL in touchdown catches in 1968.

In April 1969, Clancy got married and went on a honeymoon trip around the world, swimming, surfing and "getting some sun." He said, however, marriage had not reduced his desire to play football. "Just the opposite," he said. "I'm more hungry than ever. I want to make that money." After a season on crutch
Crutch
Crutches are mobility aids used to counter a mobility impairment or an injury that limits walking ability.- Types :There are several different types of crutches:...

es, the UPI reported: "The former rookie wonder wants to get back under quarterback Bob Griese's passes, to reclaim his billing as the Miami Dolphins' top receiver. Despite a scar on his knee, Clancy was dashing, cutting and jumping for passes during summer workouts. However, even Clancy acknowledged the injury had slowed him down: "I'm still a couple of steps slower than before the operation. But I'm optimistic. It doesn't pain me. I figure I have a month to work the way I want to, I'll be all right." Clancy's comeback appeared to be on track in early November, as he was a close second among Miami receivers with 21 catches for 289 yards. However, the comeback was cut short on November 2, 1969, when he suffered torn ligaments, this time to his right knee in a loss to the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

. Clancy missed the final six games of the 1969 season due to the injury.

Green Bay Packers

In May 1970, Clancy was traded by the Dolphins to the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...

 for tight end Marv Fleming
Marv Fleming
Marvin Fleming is a former professional American football tight end with the Green Bay Packers and the Miami Dolphins...

. Clancy had begun a business selling real estate in Miami during the offseason, but he also had ties to Green Bay. He had attended St. Matthew's Grade School there in the 1950s. Clancy expressed mixed emotions about the trade: "I don't like to leave Miami. You hate to have to pick up and move and I definitely plan to come back (to Miami) in the offseason. But most of my dad's family are still up in Green Bay. He's always wanted me to play for the Packers." Clancy was greeted as the first Green Bay native to play for the Packers since Wayland Becker in 1938. Wisconsin columnist Lee Remmel said Clancy "surveys the football scene with a pair of cool, calculating blue eyes and a computer-type mind."

In an August 1970 exhibition game against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

, Clancy caught four passes for 110 yards. Packers coach Phil Bengtson
Phil Bengtson
John Phillip Bengtson was a college football player and longtime assistant coach on the collegiate and NFL levels, chiefly remembered as the successor to Vince Lombardi as head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 1968....

 said after the game, "He has a knack of knowing where the ball will be. Clancy doesn't have great speed, but he has the ability to recognize defenses and take advantage of them." While Clancy played in all 14 games for the Packers in 1970, he caught only 16 passes, leading one Green Bay writer to conclude that Clancy's "anemic production" resulted in double-teaming of flanker Carroll Dale
Carroll Dale
Carroll Wayne Dale is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Virginia Tech from 1956–59. Dale was named second-team All American in 1958 and 1959....

 and an unbalanced passing offense. Clancy finished fifth in receptions on the 1970 Packers, behind Dale, tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...

 John Hilton
John Hilton (football player)
John Hilton is a former American football tight end who played nine seasons in the National Football League.- Prep school and college :He played college football for the University of Richmond...

, running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...

 Donny Anderson
Donny Anderson
Garry Don "Donny" Anderson is a former professional American football player who played nine years in the National Football League...

, and even fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...

 Jim Grabowski
Jim Grabowski
James S.Grabowski is a former American football player and broadcaster. Grabowski played collegiately at the University of Illinois and professionally for the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears, and served as an analyst on University of Illinois football radio broadcasts for nearly 30 years,...

.

Clancy tried out for the Packers again in 1971, but he was cut in August before the season started. While attempting to make a comeback with the Dolphins in July 1972, Clancy suffered another injury, this time to his back, resulting in Clancy being placed in traction for ten days in a Miami hospital. In all, Clancy played in 36  games for the Dolphins and Packers, compiling professional career totals of 104  receptions for 1,301 yards. Rick Norton
Rick Norton
Richard Eugene Norton is a former American collegiate and professional football quarterback who played college football for the University of Kentucky and professionally with the American Football League's Miami Dolphins , and one game for the NFL's Green Bay Packers .-See also:*Other American...

 was Clancy's teammate both in Miami and Green Bay.

College

Year Team G Rec.
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...

Yds Avg TDs
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...

Rushes
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...

Yards Avg. TD Kickoff Yards Avg. TD Punts Yards Avg TD
1963
1963 college football season
During the 20th Century, the NCAA had no playoff for the college football teams that would later be described as "Division I-A". The NCAA Football Guide, however, did note an "unofficial national champion" based on the top ranked teams in the "wire service" polls...

Michigan
1963 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1963 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1963 college football season. The team's head coach was Bump Elliott...

4 78 19.5 1 34 131 3.2 0 9 221 24.6 0 10 105 10.5 0
1965
1965 college football season
During the 20th Century, the NCAA had no playoff for the college football teams that would later be described as "Division I-A". The NCAA did recognize a national champion based upon the final results of "wire service" polls. The "writers' poll" by Associated Press was the most popular,...

Michigan
1965 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1965 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1965 college football season. The team's head coach was Bump Elliott...

52 762 14.7 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1966
1966 college football season
The 1966 college football season was marked by controversy as the year of "The Tie", a November 19 game between the two top-ranked teams, Michigan State and Notre Dame. Neither team participated in a post-season bowl game. At the same time, 1966 was the first year that the professional football...

Michigan
1966 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1966 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1966 college football season. The team's head coach was Bump Elliott...

76 1077 14.2 4 0 0 0 0 2 7 3.5 0 0 0 0 0
Total 132 1917 14.5 10 34 131 3.2 0 11 228 20.7 0 10 105 10.5 0

Professional

Year Team G Rec.
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...

Yds Avg TDs
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...

Rushes
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...

Yards Avg. TD Kickoff Yards Avg. TD Punts Yards Avg TD
1967
1967 American Football League season
The 1967 American Football League season was the eighth regular season of the American Football League, and one of the last before the AFL-NFL Merger....

Miami
1967 Miami Dolphins season
-NFL Draft:-Season schedule:-Season standings:-Roster:-Notes and references:**...

 
14 67 868 13.0 2 3
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1969
1969 American Football League season
The 1969 American Football League season was the tenth regular season of the American Football League, and the last one before the AFL-NFL Merger...

Miami
1969 Miami Dolphins season
-NFL Draft:-Season schedule:-Season standings:-Roster:-Notes and references:**...

 
8 21 289 13.8 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1970
1970 NFL season
The 1970 NFL season was the 51st regular season of the National Football League, and the first one after the AFL-NFL Merger.The merger forced a realignment between the combined league's clubs. Because there were 16 NFL teams and 10 AFL teams, three teams needed to transfer to balance the two new...

Green Bay
1970 Green Bay Packers season
The 1970 Green Bay Packers season was their 50th season in the National Football League. The club posted a 6-8 record under coach Phil Bengtson, his last at the helm, earning them a third-place finish in the NFC Central division.- Offseason :...

 
14 16 244 15.3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 36 104 1,401 13.5 5 3
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

100-yard games

Week Day Date Team Opponent Score Rec.
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...

Yards TDs
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...

Avg.
4 Sun 1967-10-08 MIA
1967 Miami Dolphins season
-NFL Draft:-Season schedule:-Season standings:-Roster:-Notes and references:**...

 
KAN
1967 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 1967 Kansas City Chiefs season ended with a 9–5 record and no playoff berth despite their AFL championship win and appearance in the inaugural AFL-NFL championship game the previous year....

0–41 6 102 0 17
9 Sun 1967-11-19 MIA OAK
1967 Oakland Raiders season
With only one game played during the AFL's opening week, the Raiders' season began on September 10, 1967, with a 51–0 wipeout of the Denver Broncos in front of a home crowd of just more than 25,000. Running back Hewritt Dixon caught one touchdown pass and ran for another. Warren Powers capped the...

 
17–31 8 114 0 14.3
11 Sun 1967-12-03 MIA HOU
1967 Houston Oilers season
The 1967 Houston Oilers season was their eighth in the league. The team improved on their previous output of 3–11, winning nine games. They qualified for the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.-Season schedule:-Playoffs:-Division standings:...

 
14–17 7 126 1 18


Note: all games were road
Road (sports)
Road game , more commonly known as an away game, is a reference to all cities and stadia/arenas/fields/venues where an athletic team plays games for which it is not the host. Most professional teams represent cities or towns and amateur sports teams often represent academic institutions...

 losses.

See also

  • Lists of Michigan Wolverines football receiving leaders
  • List of Michigan Wolverines football All-Americans
  • University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor
    University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor
    The University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor, founded in 1978, recognizes University of Michigan athletes, coaches, and administrators who have made significant contributions to the university's athletic programs...


Further reading

  • Bruce Madej, "Michigan: Champions of the West" (1997 Sports Publishing), p. 145.
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