Senior Spotlight: Clay looks forward to upcoming season

Union quarterback Kenyon Clay has a lot to look forward to as he enters his senior year.

 

Not only is he playing his final season at Union High School. He will be graduating in December and will be enrolling at Southern Miss in January so he can go through spring training with the Golden Eagles.

 

“I am looking forward to that but right now, I am trying to take it slow,” Clay said. “I am focusing on finishing well at Union and then taking the next step by going on to Southern Miss.”

 

Clay has a 3.9 grade point average at Union. When he enters USM, he has already taken English Comp 1 and Comp 2, College Algebra and College Trig. He said that will help him get started with his first year of college.

 

Clay said when he first visited Southern Miss, he liked what he saw.

 

“They showed a lot of love to me,” Clay said. “Especially Coach Will Hall, because he gave me the offer. That was special to me because the head coach gave me the offer and wanted me there. I went for a fun day with the other recruits to get to know them and make us closer. I decided this was best for me.”

 

He will be joining the Golden Eagles as a running back. He is also considering his major.

 

“At first, It was mechanical engineering but they don’t have mechanical engineering,” Clay said. “We are looking at the other engineering programs right now.”

 

Clay likes to stay busy. He also played baseball and basketball at Union. When he’s not focused on his classes or sports, he works at Piggly Wiggly in Union.

 

“I have been working there since 2019,” Clay said. “It’s a little hard to work and play football but I get it done.”

 

He lists as his favorites:

 

• Favorite movie: “Friday”;

 

• Favorite dinner: Between hamburgers and shrimp alfredo;

 

• Favorite class: Math and science courses; and,

 

• Favorite video game: Modern Warfare.

 

He also enjoys fishing, especially bass fishing.

 

“I’ll go bream fishing but I love bass fishing,” Clay said. “I caught a 6.6 pound bass one time. I caught him at one of my friends’ dad’s ponds. I have several places to fish.”

 

Head coach Jordan Wren has nothing but praise for Clay.

 

“Kenyon is the best all-around football player I have ever coached.” Wren said. “He is definitely the beat to the drum for our team. He’s an athlete who plays quarterback and he’s very effective at it. Last year, he threw 18 touchdown passes and was responsible for 47 touchdowns. He is a phenomenal leader, He’s vocal when he needs to be vocal. He doesn’t need to say a whole lot.

 

“Last year, he also played basketball and baseball. His teachers love him. I don’t think he has made a B since his sophomore year,” Wren said.

 

Union went 10-3 last year, and Clay believes they will have another good season.

 

“I feel we will be more of a running team,” Clay said. “We will still throw the ball but we are going to pound the run.

 

“The district has changed. But we are still playing Scott Central and Newton County. We also have Leake Academy and Choctaw County and those are going to be tough teams. That will help us get ready for our region games.”