Height: 6”2 Weight: 205
Hometown: Enid, OK.
Classification: Junior
Undergrad Major: Business management with a triple minor in marketing, finance and sports management. Currently in graduate school.
Relationship status: Single
It couldn’t have been easy to start the 2012 season as the third string Quarterback, but Clint Chelf didn’t let it get him down. Instead he let it motivate him to do better. And he did. As the starter in the Heart of Dallas Bowl for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, Chelf was 17-of-22 for 197 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions to rightfully earn the honor of MVP. Her Campus sat down with Chelf to try and catch a glimpse of the man off the field.
HC: How have girls reacted when you tell them you are the Quarterback or on the football team?
CC: I don’t know I try not to tell people that I play football and kind of keep it to myself.
HC: What’s your relationship like with Coach Gundy?
CC: It’s good. Ever since Coach Monken left, Coach Gundy started working with us more and coming to meetings. Prior to that, a head coach just kind of oversees everything and you don’t have really that much interaction with him, but since he started working with quarterbacks we all started to build a relationship with him. He’s a funny guy. It’s nice to have a building relationship with him.
HC: What are your future endeavors? Do you hope to enter the NFL Draft?
CC: Hopefully if I have a good year that would be nice. That’s something I have always wanted to do. I would like to finish graduate school and get my masters. Those are the two things are top of the list.
HC: Who is your favorite NFL Quarterback?
CC: I am a big Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers fan. I like Drew Brees because he’s not very tall and he’s a good player. I did see him on the sidelines (at the Heart of Dallas Bowl.) I wanted to go out and shake his hand, but they kind of got out of there pretty quick.
HC: How do you plan to keep your starting position and what are you doing to prepare for next season?
CC: I go out and throw as much as I can. I have to keep my arm in shape for the spring which is obviously just around the corner. I just have to relax and play my game. I don’t need to worry about what the other guys are doing and I try not to. I have a target on my back and they are coming to get me, but as long as I just keep doing the things that I built up last year I think I’ll be fine.
HC: I heard you took snaps from your mom to practice, so obviously family is important to you.
CC: Absolutely. I guess I didn’t really take snaps, it wasn’t like I was under center, she just flipped it to me. My Dad is kind of my throwing coach, he is the one guy who’s been with me this whole time and knows the best about how I throw. My brother is out there running routes and my sister is out there watching. They are all very supportive and it really helps to have a family like that, especially when you are going through a hard time like I was going through.
HC: So I have to ask, how do you feel about the “choo choo”?
CC: I don’t mind it. My big thing was when it came out the whole, “letter to the fans” someone asked me, “why would you say all that stuff?” I was like come on obviously I didn’t say all that stuff. Someone made all that up I didn’t actually do that, but I like it it’s cool to have something people recognize you by. My parents liked it and got shirts and stuff. I don’t have one though.
HC: How do you manage your social life and your football career?
CC: I don’t really have much of a social life. During the season, you will go weeks without hanging out with people.I try to just focus on football and when I get a chance hang out with friends.
HC: What has been the highlight of your career so far?
CC: Winning the bowl game. MVP was cool but winning for all my friends who were seniors. It was my first start at a bowl game and a lot of guys’ first starts at a bowl game. So, going out with a win was really fun.
HC: In Berry Tramel’s article a couple weeks ago he coined you with the term “gamer,” which means your better in games then you are in practice. How do you feel about that and do you agree?
CC: I agree. I have kind of always been that way. I wouldn’t say it’s like two completely different players like I am terrible in practice but I do feel like I play a lot differently in games. I think that’s obviously a part of what contributed to the decision they made last spring. I have tried to make it an emphasis to be a better practice player and improve in that sense.
HC: What motivates you?
CC: My family. I have always wanted to make my parents proud. It’s always been a dream for them to see us succeed. What motivates me is to do my best to show them that I am thankful for everything they have given me and to make them proud.
HC: What’s your idea of a perfect date?
CC: I would say take her to the Thunder game or any kind of sporting event. Hopefully the girl I was with would be really into sports.
HC: What is your favorite Disney movie?
CC: There’s a lot. Lion King is my favorite.
HC: What’s your most embarrassing story?
CC: At the fiesta bowl, after warming up we were walking back and they had these metal plates around the field that had pads on them so we could walk on them with our cleats. Well, I was talking and walking and walked on the metal and just fell. People in the stands from the other team just pointed and laughed at me. I’m glad I didn’t have my jersey on. I fell in front of a lot of people and people had to ask me if I was alright.
HC: If you had to describe yourself separately from football what would you say?
CC: Weird and laidback. I feel like if someone hung out with me and my roommates for a day they would think we are the weirdest guys ever. We all ride mopeds and we are all kind of goofy guys. Hopefully I’m fun to hang out with. I’m kind of a nerd I play a lot of video games, wear my star wars shirt and I like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, and all that.
HC: What should we expect for next year?
CC: A lot. I think we are going to have a really great team with Tracy Moore getting healthy and everyone return on defense, pretty much the whole secondary except Broderick (Brown.) I think the possibilities are endless for this team. I think every week there is not a team on there that we can’t beat and is not a game on there that we can slip up and lose to. You have to play week by week,but as far as talent and coaching goes, I think we will have a great opportunity to win every game hopefully.