The K-State Ring of Honor honors an elite group of Wildcat players who have achieved success on and off the field, have a high quality of character, represented K-State well, have achieved All-American status or performed at a “program-transformational level that warrants consideration” and the student athlete has to be five-years removed from K-State.
K-State will be adding four more Wildcat greats to the ring including Clarence Scott, Michael Bishop, Jordy Nelson and Darren Sproles on Sept. 5th at K-State footballs season opener against South Dakota State.
Up first: defensive back Clarence Scott.
What did he do at K-State?:
Scott played at K-State from 1968 to 1970. He is tied for fifth on the all-time career interception list and led K-State in interceptions in the 1968 and 1970 seasons. Scott was a first team All-American by Sporting News and Look Magazine and was a first-team All-Big 8 selection.
In his time at K-State, the Wildcats beat Nebraska for the first time in nine years and beat Oklahoma for the first time since 1934. He was also a part of the first winning season for K-State in 16 years.
How was his pro career?:
Scott was drafted as the 14th pick in the first round of the 1971 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. He played with the Browns until 1983. During his NFL stint, he helped the Browns make the playoffs four times and was a NFL Pro Bowler in 1973.
Be sure to keep up with the Collegian this week to learn more about all of the other new Ring of Honor Inductees.
Where is he from?:
Scott was born and raised in Decatur, Georgia. After putting up stellar numbers at Trinity High School, including a state championship in 1965, he made his way to K-State by suggestion of his high school coach.
“My high school coach wanted me to go to Kansas State,” Scott told Roger Gordon of the Orange and Brown Report. “He told me, ‘If you go there you’ll open up another door for guys behind you.’ Then the Kansas State coaches told me, ‘If you come to Kansas State, we’ve got a quarterback here named Lynn Dickey (who was in the same recruiting class as Scott and who went on to enjoy a solid 13-year NFL career with the Oilers and Packers). He’s 6 feet 4 inches and 200 pounds, he’s got a strong arm who’s breaking all the records in Kansas high school football and he’s gonna be throwin’ you the ball.’ So I said, ‘Okay, great.’”
Scott did not end up playing wide receiver at K-State, as he started at cornerback all four years of his college career.
