Kellen Clemens wants to return to his ranch, but first things first
Kellen Clemens returns to his beloved Burns next week to help the family on one of the summer’s big cattle drives. Giddyup.
If not for a certain responsibility in Eugene this fall Ñ playing quarterback for the Oregon Ducks Ñ Clemens would stay in the solitude of Eastern Oregon.
“Every time I go back,” he says, “I fall in love with the place even more.”
If he doesn’t make it in the NFL a couple of years from now, Clemens will put his business administration degree to work and run the ranch. At some point, he may raise a family there and never be seen west of the Cascades again.
“It’s in my blood,” he says.
This month, though, the 21-year-old junior will get back in the saddle, hoping to lead the Ducks to a Pac-10 title and Rose Bowl berth. Training camp opens Aug. 18, and the season starts Sept. 11 against Indiana at Autzen Stadium.
“My life will change dramatically,” he says, sitting in grubby work clothes, a UO hat on his head and dirt under his fingernails.
He took a summertime job in Eugene this year É on a farm.
But soon he will resume the role of Kellen Clemens, standout quarterback Ñ which to him still sounds awkward.
Call him an accidental major-college quarterback.
“I’m no different than anybody else,” he says. “Ignorance would be my biggest asset.”
Path to stardom?
Clearly he deserves the notoriety. According to coach Mike Bellotti, he is on the path Joey Harrington took to stardom. In fact, gauging by Clemens’ numbers from last season Ñ 2,400 yards passing, 18 TDs with only nine interceptions, 65 percent completed in the last four games Ñ he arguably might be ahead of Joe College.
Bellotti, who also coached A.J. Feeley and Akili Smith, says Clemens possesses his own great traits.
“It starts with leadership, and Kellen has done a great job of earning the respect of his teammates,” Bellotti says. “That happened not just in the last three or four games of the season, but all throughout the offseason and summer.”
Bellotti says Clemens “has a competitiveness about him, and people recognize he will find a way to beat you. He has an active, live arm, with repetitive accuracy and good foot skills. He can beat you in a lot of ways.”
Just look at the Civil War last year, Bellotti adds. Clemens rushed for a touchdown and 64 yards, many of them on scrambles, designed or impromptu. At 6-2 and 215 pounds, the dude can really move.
The starting quarterback job appears to be Clemens’ to lose the next two seasons, although reserve QBs Johnny DuRocher and Dennis Dixon are likely to get better.
“They weren’t that close coming out of spring ball,” Bellotti says of the backups and Clemens, “but I anticipate a much closer race in fall camp.”
He’s the man
When camp arrives, Clemens will have missed only about six of the 60 voluntary workouts in Eugene this summer.
In seven-on-seven drills, he has been impressed with freshman receiver Cameron Colvin (“he’s legit; a very explosive player, and hungry enough to play right away”), is awestruck by the improvement and talent of tight end Tim Day (“he is unbelievable”) and can hardly wait to make more use of fullback Dante Rosario (“he will have a breakout year”).
“I’ve been working on my speed and footwork, which will be an eternal process for me,” Clemens says. “I’ve shed a few unwanted pounds, and put on some muscle, too.”
Mostly, he has been gearing up to be the quarterback, and he certainly won’t miss the drama generated from sharing duties with Jason Fife last year.
Since Jan. 1, the day after the Sun Bowl loss to Minnesota, Clemens has been thinking about this season.
“Last year, with the hot start, the QB deal, the cold spell É there were a lot of ups and downs,” he says.
All the while, he admits to leaving his heart in Burns. He calls home about every day. He has a close female friend there. He has four sisters; Jess and Maria are standout athletes. “You won’t hear me bragging about myself, but I’ll brag all day about my sisters,” he says.
So he brushes and braids their hair? Well, no.
“I’ll approve of a boyfriend or help them with a jump shot,” he says.
While the ranch business might not be lucrative, it is satisfying.
“Most people don’t ranch to get rich,” he says. “They love what they do. They’re able to be their own boss and set their own hours.
“Growing up on a ranch shaped my life incredibly. I learned work ethic, responsibility, about being independent É all reasons why I want to go back.”
jasonvondersmith@portlandtrib-une.com