Topper Clemons

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Topper Clemons
No. 27
Position:Running back
Personal information
Born: (1963-09-16) September 16, 1963 (age 60)
Riverside Township, New Jersey, U.S.
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school:Cinnaminson (NJ)
College:Wake Forest
NFL draft:1986 / Round: 8 / Pick: 212
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career NFL statistics
Games played:3
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Orman Wendell Clemons (born September 16, 1963) is a former American football running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football at Wake Forest University.

Early years[edit]

Clemons attended Cinnaminson High School, where he practiced football, wrestling and track. As a senior, he was an All-South Jersey football selection at running back. He finished second in the state meet in both the 100 and 200 metres. He did not lose a regular season wrestling match.

He enrolled at Fork Union Military Academy for a year, where he averaged 100 yards rushing per game.

College career[edit]

Clemons accepted a football scholarship from Wake Forest University. As a freshman, he was a backup at running back behind Michael Ramseur. He collected 73 carries for 269 yards, 3 touchdowns, 7 receptions for 46 yards and 23 kickoff returns for 460 yards (20-yard avg.). As a sophomore, he tallied 132 carries for 562 yards, a 4-3-yard average, 6 touchdowns and 6 receptions for 64 yards.

As a junior, he became a starter at fullback, forming with Ramseur one of the best backfield duos in the ACC.[1] He posted 137 carries for 732 yards, a 5.3-yard average (fourth in school history), 2 rushing touchdowns, 15 receptions for 61 yards and one receiving touchdown. He had 182 rushing yards against the University of Richmond.

As a senior, he led the team with 164 carries for 916 yards, a 5.6-yard average (third in school history), 2 rushing touchdowns, 21 receptions for 113 yards and 5 receiving touchdowns. He had 111 rushing yards against the University of Tennessee and 126 rushing yards against the University of Virginia.[2][3]

He finished his college career with 506 carries for 2,479 yards (third in school history), a 4.9-yard average, 13 rushing touchdowns, six career 100-yard games (tied for seventh in school history), 49 receptions for 284 yards, 6 receiving touchdowns and 3,123 all-purpose yards (fifth in school history).

Professional career[edit]

Dallas Cowboys[edit]

Clemons was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the eighth round (212th overall) of the 1986 NFL Draft.[4][5] He was waived on August 18.[6]

Philadelphia Eagles[edit]

After the National Football League Players Association went on strike in the third week of the 1987 season, the games scheduled for that week were canceled (reducing the 16-game season to 15) and the NFL decided that subsequent games would be played with replacement players. Clemons was signed in October to be a part of the Philadelphia Eagles replacement squad as a backup at running back behind Reggie Brown. In three games, he posted no rushing yards and one reception for a 13-yard touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys.[7] He was cut on October 20, at the end of the strike.[8]

On January 12, 1988, he was re-signed to participate in training camp.[9] He was released on August 22.[10]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Nothing's Lost in the Transition". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  2. ^ "South Roundup : Tennessee Struggles Past Wake Forest, 31-29". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  3. ^ "Demon Deacons' Rally Intercepted by Cavaliers". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  4. ^ "HOW TO MAKE THE CUT : Don't drop the ball with coaches around (see above) : Explode at the ballcarrier, or at least hit really hard : Show speed, strength --'something, anything'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  5. ^ "1986 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  6. ^ "Transactions". Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  7. ^ "PRO FOOTBALL : NFL Roundup : 40,622 See Cowboys Romp; White and Dorsett Draw Boos". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  8. ^ "NFL Roster Moves". Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  9. ^ "Tuesday's Sports Transactions". Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  10. ^ "Tight end John Spagnola left the Philadelphia Eagles with..." Retrieved January 12, 2019.
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