University of Oklahoma Athletics
Clay Appreciative of Opportunities at OU
March 28, 2012 | Athletics
NORMAN, Okla. -- Brennan Clay walked out of the Oklahoma football locker room and smiled.
"It's a blessing to go to school here," said the sophomore running back. "It's a blessing to be able to come here and do everything I'm able to do."
Clay is here from San Diego where he starred as a running back at Scripps Ranch High School, but he's not different from the hundreds of other student-athletes at Oklahoma who are able to take advantage of everything from playing sports to academics.
And all of it is thanks to the Sooner Club, which helps student-athletes like Clay every day and every year at Oklahoma. More than 600 OU student-athletes receive some kind of financial aid, and it's the private support of Sooner fans through the Sooner Club that makes it all happen.
And more importantly, it allows players like Clay to succeed in the classroom as well as on the field.
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This past year, the Sooner Club surpassed $20 million in donations for the first time. Since the athletic department never receives state funds and is entirely self-supporting, it relies on private support for scholarships, resources and just about everything to help the Sooners maintain a championship level.
"Guys like Brennan are appreciative," said Annette Moran, who works as an academic advisor for Clay and other student-athletes at OU. "They understand it's a donation and the Sooner Club is one of the reasons behind it."
Moran helps players like Clay arrange class schedules and tutoring, as well as making sure players are on track for graduation and are meeting NCAA requirements to stay eligible to compete.
And having a person like Moran is just one of the benefits of being a student-athlete, and one of the benefits Sooner Club members help provide.
"We most definitely take advantage of that," said Clay, a communications major. "That helps us out a lot in the classroom. And that's what we need. We're grinding every day, and it's hard, but that stuff gives us a push."
One thing to consider, Moran said, is that folks who give to the Sooner Club can know OU's student-athletes are definitely taking advantage of the academic side of their responsibilities.
"Brennan is great," she said. "He takes care of his business and doesn't need as much help as a lot of others, but he does get help from tutors and academic assistance. More importantly, he is thankful for the help he gets. He knows it's important, and he takes advantage of it. He uses the resources we have to help make him successful. It's an added bonus for students. They can get that extra help."
The fans see Clay on Saturdays, playing in front of 85,000 fans, part of the Oklahoma football team. What they don't see is all the behind-the-scenes things that his scholarship money is also providing.
It's not just Clay. It's hundreds of others.
"It's just a great benefit for myself and others," Clay said. "I would hope that people are aware of how much this really helps us."
For more information on joining the Sooner Club, or to renew your membership, visit TheSoonerClub.com or contact the Sooner Club office at (405) 325-8000 or toll-free at (866) Sooner Club.
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