Griffin Clancy
Offensive Lineman / Albany
Ed Hunt: What are your measurements? (Height, Weight and 40 time)
Griffin Clancy: Height was 6’5 3/8, weight was 313, hand was 10 ¼, wingspan 83 1/2 and arm is 34 3/8. I don’t have a 40 time yet, but I’m trying to run in the 5.3s.
Ed Hunt: Where are you currently training for the NFL Draft?
Griffin Clancy: Test Football Academy in Martinsville, NJ.
Ed Hunt: Can you tell me the highlight of your experience at the Tropical Bowl?
Griffin Clancy: I definitely thank Mike Quartey. I think it was a really good opportunity to play in front of scouts. If this is my last game or play, then give it everything you have. Coach Swinney said it takes two weeks to get back into it technique wise.
Ed Hunt: What schools were interested in your out of high school?
Griffin Clancy: Albany, New Hampshire, Syracuse, Buffalo and Virginia Tech.
Ed Hunt: Why did you pick Albany?
Griffin Clancy: I chose between New Hampshire and Albany. I would say it was one of the best decisions of my life.
Ed Hunt: How did you develop a strong ability to pull in the run blocking game?
Griffin Clancy: Definitely Coach Sweeney taught us, you can’t kiss them. You have to get them when you pull. The more aggressive guy wins around the gate.
Ed Hunt: What position is your best fit at the next level?
Griffin Clancy: Any position they need me at. I can play guard and tackle. I played center at the Tropical Bowl because they needed me. My flexibility was the reason I got to play my sophomore year. The more you can do, the longer you can stick around.
Ed Hunt: What is your biggest sport outside of football?
Griffin Clancy: I actually only played football in high school. I love hunting and fishing. With football, I haven’t been able to do much of it. I love the outdoors.
Ed Hunt: What is your biggest accomplishment in that sport?
Griffin Clancy: I look at it as like an accomplishment to go out with my dad and brother and just spend time with them. Just to enjoy and relax and hang out with them.
Ed Hunt: What are your strengths?
Griffin Clancy: Technique! I’m not the strongest gym guy. I learned to breakdown film and manipulate blockers.
Ed Hunt: What are your weaknesses?
Griffin Clancy: Weight room strength. I’m trying so hard at my training facility because I can’t fall below that 18 rep mark.
Ed Hunt: What was the highlight of your career?
Griffin Clancy: This year when we beat Stony Brook to win the Golden Apple. Another one was that we flipped the culture of our team. We started making the playoffs our second year in a row after two losing seasons.
Ed Hunt: What is your biggest accomplishment in college?
Griffin Clancy: It was a military game, and I won the Todd Clark Memorial Award for leadership, courage and selflessness. That was a big award to win because they put you in the name of a military soldier that lost his life and that means a lot.
Ed Hunt: What have you learned the most from your coaching staff?
Griffin Clancy: I think to fully buy into a culture, buy into the leaders. I like a job where you buy into your boss. When our coach recruited us, we could become an NEC program. Everything he said was right. We had two losing seasons and then we bought in and great things happened.
Ed Hunt: What is your favorite NFL team?
Griffin Clancy: I grew up a big Giants fan because of New York. I got into football in ‘06 and then they won in ’07.
Ed Hunt: Who is an NFL player you model your game after?
Griffin Clancy: I like to watch a lot of film on Orlando Brown. He’s not the strongest guy out there, but he has great technique. The Ravens gave him a shot and he made the Pro Bowl this year. You can really be successful if you know how to play the position.
Ed Hunt: What is the most important trait for an offensive guard?
Griffin Clancy: I think it’s how physical you can be. In the inside, you are always going to get the 300 pounders. You have to out-physical the guy and if you can’t out-physical him then you have to win with technique.
Ed Hunt: Before the ball is snapped, what tendencies are you looking for in the defense?
Griffin Clancy: How I always do it is I do a quick scan from the center. I look across the coverage and then I see the coverage. Then I see how the defensive lineman will play. I do a quick scan of all three levels and you only have five seconds, so you have to be quick with it.
Ed Hunt: What players from your team should we keep an eye on?
Griffin Clancy: There’s a group of us. Eli Mencer, Juwan Green, and Jarren Williams. Nick Griffin is another one.
Ed Hunt: Who is the best player you have faced on an opposing team?
Griffin Clancy: I have to say Bill Murray on William & Mary and Charles Mitchell on Maine. I won against them for three years.
Ed Hunt: What do you enjoy most about football?
Griffin Clancy: Being a part of the team and meeting a lot of great friends. The bonds you make with these guys. You work so hard for those “x” amount of weeks. It’s that team camaraderie that you have.
Ed Hunt: What makes you unique?
Griffin Clancy: I just think I like the outdoors and depending on where you are you can start a conversation and it’s always important to have common interests.
Ed Hunt: What are your hobbies?
Griffin Clancy: Hunting, fishing, football and working out for football. I don’t have a lot of time because of football.
Ed Hunt: What do you want to do with your life after your football career?
Griffin Clancy: Right now, I don’t know. I’ve always had an interest in a sports agency. I don’t really know yet. I’ve worked with my dad. He owns a local bar and restaurant.
Ed Hunt: What five words best describe you?
Griffin Clancy: Not going to be outworked!
Ed Hunt: Why should an NFL team draft you?
Griffin Clancy: I’m that small school guy and I’m going to take a chance and run with it. I’m not going to sit back and say I’ve been to a big school. I’m going to make it. You have to find the guys who will not do it for a paycheck. The games meant a lot to me for the last 12 years.
