Southern Arkansas University Athletics

Kell Clopton played football at SAU from 1995-98 and was an integral part of the Muleriders success on the gridiron during that time as the program moved from the NAIA ranks to the NCAA Division II. A 6-4, 300-pound offensive lineman during his playing days, Clopton helped pave the way in the trenches for the Muleriders’ punishing wishbone-style offense.
 
As a junior in 1997, Clopton was a Daktronics NCAA All-South Region First-Team selection and an All-America Third-Team pick at offensive tackle. That year, he helped lead the Muleriders to their first conference championship since 1972 as the Muleriders were co-champions in the vaunted Gulf South Conference (GSC) with a 6-1 league record. Overall that year, SAU finished with a 9-2 record, achieved a top-10 national ranking, and advanced to the NCAA Division II Playoffs in their first eligible year.
 
The following year – Clopton’s senior campaign, SAU fell one game back from another GSC title, but the Muleriders did finish that year with an impressive 8-2 overall record and a 7-1 mark in GSC-play. Statistically, the Muleriders’ offense, thanks in part to the dominant play of Clopton up front, broke out and led the GSC in Scoring Offense (330 points | 33.0 ppg) and Rushing Offense (2,703 yards | 270.3 ypg).
 
For his efforts that year, Clopton would be touted as a first-team all-region player once more while also adding another All-America honor to his ledger with honorable mention recognition from the Don Hansen Football Gazette.
 
Following his final game, Clopton was selected to play in the 1999 Cactus Bowl, which was a Division II All-Star game held at Javelina Stadium in Kingsville, Texas.