Glassboro's Clement Ending a Stellar...
Glassboro's Clement Ending a Stellar Career at Wisconsin When Wisconsin meets Western Michigan in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 2, it will be the final game for one of the top running backs in the country, Corey Clement.
A graduate of Glassboro High, Clement was a dominant performer in high school and he continued that excellence while competing in the Big 10.
As his career is winding down, Clement is finishing in a flourish.
He has averaged 123.1 rushing yards per game over the Badgers’ last eight games. Among players from Power Five programs, only Texas’ D’Onta Foreman (204.7) has recorded a higher average over that span. Clement's eight 100-yard games this season is second most among Power Five players behind Foreman's 11.
During his career, the Badgers are 14-2 when Clement runs for at least 100 yards.
The 5-foot-11, 227-pound Clement has rushed for 3,021 career yards, the 12th player in school history to rush for 3,000 yards in a career.
Wisconsin has been known as Running Back U, a school that still places its main emphasis on the ground game.
No. 1 on the Wisconsin list is another former South Jersey star, Ron Dayne, the Overbrook graduate. Dayne, the former Heisman Trophy winner, rushed for 7,125 yards during his Wisconsin career.
Clement sixth all-time on the school list in yards per carry (5.45). He is also ninth on the all-time Wisconsin list with 35 rushing touchdowns and ninth with 37 total touchdowns.
Wisconsin has such a deep stable of running backs, that Clement only started two games in his first three seasons, although he saw substantial playing time.
As a freshman he rushed for 547 yards (8.2 avg.) and seven touchdowns. As a sophomore he rushed for 949 yards (6.5 avg.) and nine touchdowns. Last season injuries limited him to four games, rushing for 221 yards (4.6 avg.) and five touchdowns. This year he has started 12 games and rushed for 1,304 yards (4.5 avg.) and 14 TDs.
Wisconsin (10-3) won the Big 10 West Division title and lost to Penn State, 38-31, in the championship game. Evne in that loss, Clement rushed for 164 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. That tied his season-high in rushing yards. Against Ohio State he gained 164 yards on 25 carries.
At Glassboro, Clement rushed for 6,245 yards, which is the top mark in South Jersey history. Clement began the year with the single-season South Jersey record for rushing yards, 2,511. That mark was broken by Jonathan Taylor of Salem, who rushed for 2,815 yards.
What's ironic is that Taylor is headed to Wisconsin next year. So it's very likely that another South Jersey back will continue the great running tradition at Wisconsin.
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Author: Marc Narducci
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