USM football has its 2nd player decide to forego 2021. He will enter the military.
Two Southern Miss football players have announced that they have decided to forego their remaining eligibility at USM and will take on new ventures.
Senior safety Ky’el Hemby made public his intention to turn pro earlier this month, and junior center Trace Clopton announced Monday that he plans to pursue a career in the military after he graduates in May.
Clopton has been USM’s starting center for the last three seasons, taking over the role as a true freshman. He had a hard time staying on the field as a junior as he battled through multiple injuries.
“The past 3 years have been some of the best in my life,” Clopton said in a post on Twitter. “The University of Southern Mississippi gave me a chance to pursue a dream and pay for my education.
“I want to say thank you to everyone who invested in me and pushed me to become a better man. I will be graduating in May and pursuing a career in the military. I have decided to hang my cleats up.”
Clopton said he was still doing his homework and wasn’t exactly sure which branch of the military he will enter.
“It’s definitely something I’ve been living in prayer about for a long time,” he said. “Yes, it was hard (to make the decision). I hate to leave those guys. Those are my brothers. Ultimately, I just felt led. It’s definitey the right route for me.”
Redshirt freshman Louis Paul Smith, a D’Iberville product, filled in well for Clopton during the 2020 season and has a good shot at earning the starting role at center in new head coach Will Hall’s offense.
Hemby was a key part of the USM secondary for three seasons after transferring in from Iowa Western Community College for the 2018 campaign.
In 34 games played at USM, he had nine interceptions and 217 tackles.
“Playing at Southern Miss the past 3 years has been a true blessing,” Hemby said in a Twitter post. “I am thankful for all the memories and experiences I was able to encounter over my time at USM. The bonds with my brothers, coaches and our wonderful fans has been an extreme honor and will last a lifetime.
“After speaking with my family, I have decided to begin the next chapter in my life … NFL Draft 2021.”
Hemby could have played one more season at USM under the NCAA’s decision to grant all 2020 fall athletes an extra year of eligibility due to issues surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Clopton believes that plenty of players who have been given an additional year of eligibility will return to the field this season.
“I stuck around the past week and went to workouts,” he said. “I wanted to be around all those guys one last week. I can say the energy and the new standard are special. There are just some special things going on in that facility right now.”
This story was originally published January 25, 2021 at 10:30 AM.
