Former Razorback Clay dies

Charles Clay, the tight end on the Arkansas Razorbacks’ 1970s All-Decade Team, died earlier this week in Little Rock. He was 60.

“Charles’ loss is tragic, devastating news,” said former Razorbacks’ quarterback Ron Calcagni, who was Clay’s teammate from 1975-1978. “He was such a warrior and competitor and a great teammate. All of his teammates offer our condolences and peace to the family.”

A celebration of Clay’s life will be held at 11 a.m. today at St. Andrew Church in Little Rock.

Clay died Monday of an apparent heart attack, said Harold Horton, a University of Arkansas, Fayetteville assistant coach from 1968-1980.

“Charles was one of the better athletes that’s come through the University of Arkansas,” Horton said. “He had tremendous ability, and he meant a lot to our team. He could run, he could catch and he could block. He was a complete player.”

Clay played in an era in which tight ends weren’t a big part of the passing game, but when he caught the ball it was for big gains. He had career totals of 24 receptions for 440 yards — an 18.3-yard average — and 3 touchdowns.

Clay played on Arkansas teams that combined for a 25-10-2 record and beat Georgia in the Cotton Bowl 31-10 on Jan. 1, 1976, and Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl 31-6 on Jan. 2, 1978.

“He had such great leaping ability and strength,” Calcagni said. “I remember a tremendous catch he made in the Orange Bowl in the middle of the field. I threw it into a somewhat crowded area and he just snatched it out of the air for a pretty key first down in the game.”

Clay signed with Arkansas after graduating from Little Rock Parkview High School. His son, Charles — who played at Little Rock Central — is a tight end for the NFL’s Buffalo Bills.

Clay worked as a software analyst for Fidelity Information Services for more than 25 years.