Aug 29, 2018 3 min read

Name: Christian Clutter

School: McGuffey

Class: Senior

Sport: Football

Clutter’s week: In McGuffey’s 28-0 Week Zero win over Ambridge last Friday, Clutter scored four touchdowns in four different ways.

A starter on special teams since his freshman season, he took the opening kickoff back 91 yards, then returned a punt 42 yards in the second quarter, both for touchdowns. Before the first half ended, he caught a 24-yard TD pass from Highlanders’ quarterback Marshall Whipkey. Clutter scored McGuffey’s final touchdown on a one-yard plunge in the fourth quarter to finish with 81 rushing yards on nine carries.

“I never really had a good first game in my other three years of high school football, so to come out and do that was definitely a good start,” Clutter said. “Getting the first week started 1-0 came first. Now, we have a purpose to keep winning one after another.”

The pair of touchdowns on special teams give Clutter seven returns for scores in his career.

“It was like hitting for the cycle,” McGuffey coach Ed Dalton said about Clutter’s four-touchdown game.

“It’s just not normal to return that many kicks and punts for touchdowns. He is a different type of runner. He runs with a lot of balance. He is hard to bring down.”

Balancing act: It’s not only on offense and special teams that Clutter makes an impact.

Playing safety for the Highlanders, Clutter serves as what Dalton calls “the quarterback of our secondary” by making sure his teammates are lined up correctly and dropping into the correct pass coverage.

“We play a different coverage based on what the other team does,” Dalton explained. “I’m not sure in the past we were able to do that. Part of it is him helping us get into the right spots.”

McGuffey held the Bridgers to 198 total yards, 11 first downs and forced two turnovers, including an interception by Clutter.

“Our defense this year is the best group I’ve been with,” Clutter said. “Our defensive backs seem to be doing a lot better getting into their coverage zones. Our outside contain is good. Everything seems to be coming together.”

A standout wrestler at McGuffey – Clutter went 47-6 and advanced to the state consolations as a junior – he feels it helps him on the football field.

“The physicality of wrestling helps out with tackling and putting my body in positions that it needs to be in,” Clutter said.

It also allows Dalton to be able to move him all over the field, including the in the box to better support the run defense.

“He uses his wrestling as leverage,” Dalton said. “Big-play guys make big plays when you need them to. You can’t question his work habits. You can’t question his leadership.”