Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

TIFFIN – As his first season as Clear Creek Amana head coach approached Matt Haddy was intently gauging the talent within the program.

One player that stood out during summer work was incoming freshman Brody Clubb.

The question for Haddy and the Clipper staff was how would a freshman handle the rigors of varsity football.

Haddy had the answer before the season even began.

An impressive summer earned Clubb an invite with the varsity to a team camp at Coe College where he made a quick impression on the Clipper coaches.

“We took him with us to Coe because he looked good all summer in shorts and tee shirts but we said ‘everyone looks good in shorts lets see if he can really hold up,” Haddy explained. “About one or two snaps in we looked at each other as coaches and we said, ‘he can hang’.”

Clubb did more than just hang last season.

In his first year of varsity football the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Clubb proved he would be a force for years to come.

Clubb ranked fourth on the team with 39.5 tackles including 3.5 for loss and a sack last season during a stellar freshman season that put him on the radar of college coaches.

“It was incredible experience to play as a freshman,” Clubb said. “I was in the moment at some points and I didn’t realize what I was doing I was just out there playing ball. Looking back on it I think I learned a lot.”

Even after excelling in summer works and a strong showing at the Coe College camp Clubb knew he had to impress everyday to earn varsity reps as a freshman, especially as a lineman.

That is exactly what he did all fall camp.

In his first varsity game Clubb caught a touchdown pass, made five tackles and had a sack.

That’s how you prove you belong.

“I busted my butt every single day at practice and earned a spot,” Clubb said. “I wanted to make sure that I earned everything.”

That work ethic is part of what makes Clubb such an intriguing prospect.

Along with a combination of size, speed and strength.

“The best thing about Brody is number one he’s a phenomenal kid, he’s a polite kid, he’s a great kid to be around and two he wants to be really good,” Haddy said. “He has it in his mind that this is what he wants. He wants to be a division I football player but more than that he wants us to be successful.”

After starting at defensive end last season Clubb spent the offseason working on his body.

He has added strength and speed and is transitioning from a hand-down defensive end to an outside linebacker this season.

“I tried to put on some weight, I got tossed around on double teams quite a bit so that was my main goal to put on some good weight,” Clubb said. “Definitely to work faster, work faster hands and work on my agility and speed.”

Clubb finished with five receptions for 49 yards and a touchdown last season and plans to be an even bigger part of the Clipper offensive plan this season.

Even with the challenge of learning a new position Clubb feels he is much further ahead this fall than a year ago when he was focused on just earning playing time.

This year he is fine tuning his craft.

“Playing outside linebacker it’s a new position but I feel like I have a new body so I am feeling ready,” Clubb said. “I have definitely taken steps forward from where I was last year.”
Even with the instant success he experienced as a freshman Clubb called last season a humbling experience going against older players.

Those struggles have served as motivation for Clubb entering year two.

“It was definitely a humbling experience at times I didn’t know what to expect,” Clubb said. “I think I learned a lot from the experience I gained last year and hopefully that is only going to make me better.”

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