Clayton brings the noise

Over the course of his four years at Penn State and six seasons in the NFL, Stan Clayton grew accustomed to playing football at the biggest venues, in front of crowds loud enough to rupture eardrums.

These days, as the offensive line coach for the Princeton football team, Clayton finds himself in considerably quainter surroundings.

But pay attention to him on the sideline when the Tigers are in a crucial situation. It may, in fact, be hard not to. It often seems as if Clayton is urging his vocal chords to singlehandedly transform sleepy Princeton Stadium into, say, the Fiesta Bowl, where, as a player, he helped his alma mater capture the 1986 national championship.

During his six seasons at Princeton, football fans have learned to look forward to the impassioned flareups Clayton frequently directs at his Tiger charges when disappointed with their performance. When the offense struggles to score points, Clayton can often be counted on as an alternate source of Princeton fireworks.

"Sometimes he kind of has to watch what he says," senior offensive lineman Dave Szelingowski said, "because the stands are so close."

While one might assume that Clayton has yet to grow fully comfortable with the quiet, to a man so singularly devoted to football, that notion seems preposterous.

"Coming to Princeton was no different than Penn State," Clayton said. "It's just a difference in the color of the uniforms."

Clayton's booming on-field personality, it seems, is merely a function of his desire to win and dedication to his student-athletes.

"I'm a very passionate person when it comes to this game," Clayton said. "I want to give my players every ounce of energy that I have in my body, whether it's on the field or in a meeting."

But without the solid foundation he gives them in technical excellence, Clayton's fiery tirades would do little to bring out the best in his players. Clayton's knowledge of the game is a product both of his vast football experience and willingness to find new ways for both himself and his players to improve.

"There's not a single problem he doesn't have a fix for," Szelingowski said. "We only get so much of his knowledge,because some of it is so complex, it would just confuse us too much."

Yet all too often, spectators let Clayton's boisterous behavior on game day drown out all that he does for the team behind the scenes.

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"If you came and watched five minutes of one of our games at the wrong time," head coach Roger Hughes said, "you might think, 'Wow, this guy screams a lot.' But what you don't see is him put his arm around a guy afterwards, how much he helps [the players] with their academics, how he helps them find a tutor. What you don't see is how much he loves those kids."

Clayton's off-the-field dedication to the Tigers is just one of the many pleasant surprises that have accompanied Hughes' choice to take a chance on an up-and-coming football mind.

It was while talking to Penn State coaches about another candidate for offensive line coach that Hughes brought Clayton's name up in passing and was told to hire him immediately. Based on that recommendation, Clayton was brought in for an interview and, according to Hughes, "It was clear early in the process that he was highly qualified and an excellent motivator."

Clayton's motivational abilities have by now become entrenched in Princeton lore, but, at the time, his considerable experience at both the collegiate and professional ranks impressed Hughes just as much.

The 1986 national championship game was the pinnacle of Clayton's stellar collegiate career. The Nittany Lions triumphed, 14-10, over top-ranked Miami in what is considered to be the most-watched college football game ever.

Two years later, he was taken in the 10th round of the NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. He also played with the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers over the course of a six-year career as an offensive tackle and guard.

But it was shortly after retiring from professional football in 1993 that Clayton discovered the calling that figures to define his career. In coaching, he saw an opportunity to spread to others the benefits that he reaped from the game.

"I am a person that really, truly values the game of football," Clayton said. "I think it is a healthy environment in which young boys become men."

In 1995, he entered the coaching ranks as an assistant at Penn State, then moved on to positions at Massachusetts, Alabama State and Kansas State before coming to Princeton in 2000.

Hughes' decision to hire Clayton paid early dividends. In his first season, Clayton helped ensure that offensive linemen Dennis Norman, Ross Tucker and John Raveche, all members of the Class of 2001, would follow in his NFL footsteps.

This year, Clayton is once again working with a senior-heavy offensive line that is among the Tigers' biggest strengths.

While that might mean fewer chances for fans to enjoy his sideline outbursts, Clayton will continue, in a number of quieter ways to bring the noise for the Tigers.