Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Robert Clay now knows the story. The story of why Gators head coach Dan Mullen has a special fondness for No. 36.

It was Mullen's jersey number in high school and later at Ursinus (Pa.) College, explored in more detail this week not once, but twice by a pair of enterprising beat writers.

The topic of jersey numbers came up this week when a reporter pointed out to Mullen that no one has been issued No. 1 in spring camp.

"Here is what was explained to the team," Mullen said. "I am not addressing any jersey numbers until after spring and anybody that asks me about jersey numbers is certainly going to be withheld from the jersey number discussion."

It was a few days prior to Mullen's Tuesday press conference that he explained his approach to numbers this spring to the players in a team meeting. A walk-on defensive back from Pensacola, Clay perked up at one point.

He's No. 36 for the Gators.
 

"He had made a reference to No. 36. All the guys were like, 'that's Clay's number.' That shocked me when he said 36. I raised my hand like a fist pump. A day or so later one of the other coaches told me that was his number."

Clay joined the team a year ago during spring camp and wore No. 26 as he got acclimated to playing again. While he rarely sees the field on Saturdays, Clay's enthusiasm at practice is noticeable. He is often the first player on the practice field and greets others as they arrive with a hearty high-five or first bump.

Clay was later assigned No. 36 and that's just fine with him.

"To be honest, I'll wear any number,'' he said. "I'm just happy to be out here."

Clay's backstory is more interesting than his jersey number. Prior to joining the team, the 23-year-old Clay had not played football since his junior year of high school in the fall of 2012 at Pine Forest High School in Pensacola. Clay graduated from Pine Forest in 2014 and enrolled at Pensacola State College, which doesn't have a football team.

Clay, who turns 24 in November, remained committed to getting back on the field despite taking a very long road.

"My dream was always to play football for the Florida Gators,'' Clay said. "I didn't have really good grades in high school, but I ended up going to junior college, got an associate of arts degree, kept my grades up and transferred into the University of Florida."

To make it happen, Clay worked part- and full-time jobs while attending PSC through the Educational Opportunity Center, a program at the junior college that assists first-time, first-generation students in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties with modest incomes.

Clay enrolled at UF in the fall of 2017 and is majoring in food/resource economics in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He had been away from the game for so long that he didn't know anyone on the team when he arrived other than offensive lineman Noah Banks, whom he recalled playing against in middle school.

Clay first met Mullen during a one-on-one interview last spring. He appreciated his warm approach with walk-ons, even more so now that they share a special number together.

"That's pretty cool,'' he said. "It's been fun. The hard part for me is just how fast it is and learning coverage. If you do something good in practice, he'll congratulate you."

No. 36 for sure.