Safety Matthew McClelland counting down the days until his football return
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Saluki Football season opener at West Florida is less than three weeks away, and there’s one player who’s been looking forward to this contest more than most — safety Matthew McClelland.
The senior from Mesa, Arizona is coming off a major knee injury and hasn’t played in a game in nearly two years.
Shortly after McClelland arrived in Carbondale in the spring of 2025, the Morehead State transfer tore his left ACL during the first week of spring practices.
“It was really just a routine play,” he recalled. “The quarterback threw a fade ball and I was sprinting to it. The ball gets tipped, and I made a cut off my left knee, and then it just snaps right there. I knew right away. It was painful like nothing I'd ever done before.”
McClelland was fortunate to only tear the ACL and none of the surrounding ligaments. He missed the entire 2025 season, but travelled with the team and helped out on the sidelines.
“The hardest thing was trying to be a part of the team without actually being able to help on the field,” he said. “The guys always kept me included and made me feel like I was still their brother.”
That McClelland is even playing Division I college football is a testament to both his talent and determination. He played 8-man football at Arete Prep Academy during his first two years of high school. He was a prolific quarterback at that level, and when the program moved up to 11-man for his junior year, he added safety responsibilities, playing two-way the whole game.
“Playing 1A football in Arizona, I don't think hardly anybody's really getting looked at by college coaches,” McClelland said. “I knew it was going to be a struggle to get exposure. I was on like Twitter a lot. I had a couple recruiting people helping me get my name out.”
Due to an ankle injury, McClelland played just four games during his senior year, and his only recruiting interest was from Division III schools and junior colleges.
He finally had a breakthrough when Morehead State, of the non-scholarship Pioneer League, brought him to Kentucky. By his third year with the Eagles, he led the conference in tackling with 109 stops and led the team with four interceptions.
McClelland put his name in the transfer portal after his impressive 2024 campaign at Morehead.
“I had six or seven D1 offers, all FCS,” he said. “I visited here last and just felt it was the best fit. I loved all the coaches, and it's the Missouri Valley, the highest level of play in the FCS that you can get.”
Academically, McClelland is working on his MBA and hopes to get into tech sales after football. He said he’s enjoyed his time in Carbondale, despite the injury.
“The people are all nice,” he said. “Everybody likes Saluki Football. It's a beautiful area with the nature and the lakes. It gets a little humid in the summer, but as opposed to the dry heat back home, it's not bad.”
The Salukis have a deep safety room that features returning starter Vinny Pierre Jr., plus rising sophomores Clayton Lakatos and Grant Thompson, and junior college transfer Rue Jackson.
“I’m hoping to fit in wherever I can, whether it’s playing every down safety or just coming in on certain packages,” McClelland said. “Coming off an injury, I don't know exactly what my role is gonna be, but wherever I can benefit the team the most is where I'll be happy to play.”
McClelland, who checks in at 6-foot-2 and 206 pounds, was non-contact during the spring, but has been full-go during training camp and is making impressive plays. Now, he’s counting down the days until Aug. 27.
“Words can't really describe how excited I'm going to be,” he said. “I’m going to try not to let the moment get too big. It's still just one football game, but it is going to be a feeling that I haven't felt in a long time.”
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