WEEK 8 STATS: 9 total tackles, 1.5 TFL, INT, 2 PBU
Clayton made his presence felt at the free safety position during Duquesne’s 27-20 road win over rival Saint Francis. The Illinois transfer made a team-high nine tackles (8 solo) while adding an interception and two break-ups in pass defense. Helping limit Saint Francis to only 2.5 yards per carry and three rushing first downs, Clayton made four stops that limited the opposing rusher to a two-yard gain or less. The sophomore defensive back made a momentous play with the Dukes facing a 10-0 deficit in the final minute of the opening quarter. Clayton picked off an errant pass at Duquesne’s 48-yard line and returned it 35 yards to set up a field goal. The native Floridian put his run defense skills on display during the opening possession of the second half, stopping the SFU ball carrier on back-to-back plays for a six-yard net loss. Clayton later delivered two clutch pass break-ups with the Dukes protecting a 27-20 lead in the later stages of the fourth quarter. With SFU facing a new set of downs at the Duquesne 25-yard line, Clayton broke up a first-down pass intended for Terrell Johnson. Three snaps later, he successfully defended a 4th-and-11 pass to Zach Campbell.