Quarterback Chase Clement and wide receiver Jarett Dillard have had quite a journey together.
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| Rice is headed to a second bowl appearance in three years behind Chase Clement and Jarett Dillard. (US Presswire) |
It's all pretty amazing for two kids from San Antonio who nobody wanted out of high school.
Yup, that's right. Nobody wanted the most prolific quarterback-to-wide receiver touchdown duo in history.
Not one single team in the Big 12 wanted the All-Conference quarterback who has thrown for 8,398 yards and 84 career touchdowns, one off the career Conference USA record.
And none of the many high-powered offenses around the country wanted the All-American wide receiver who holds the NCAA record for most career touchdowns with 59 and is close to becoming only the 10th player in history to record at least 4,000 yards receiving.
"In high school I was in an offense where I caught 30 to 35 passes a season," Dillard said. "I just got overlooked. A lot of letters from schools, but no offers. Some guys can say 'I took a visit here and this campus was alright, but I didn't like this ... so I chose Rice.' Well I don't have those stories. I just have 'I visited Rice, they offered me and I said yes' and I'm so thankful to be here, but I carry that chip to say this is what you missed out on."
It's easy to see how Dillard was overlooked, but Clement was no slouch coming out of high school. His senior year he threw for 3,243 yards and 28 TDs, while being named all-area, all-city and all-District 27-4A. But with all the other big name quarterbacks coming out of the state he was lost in the shuffle.
According to Rivals.com, the top QBs coming out of Texas in 2004 were Rhett Bomar (Oklahoma), Stephen McGee (Texas A&M), Kirby Freeman (Miami, now Baylor) and Graham Harrell (Texas Tech). "A lot of schools seem to already have their commitments," Clement said. "Bomar, Harrell, McGee ... so many guys that went so many places coming out of Texas. It was one of those deals, I didn't get looked at a lot."
South Carolina came looking at Clement toward the end of the recruiting process, but didn't offer him a scholarship. If the Gamecocks had, he might have found himself starting for Steve Spurrier, playing against SEC competition in front of 90,000 instead of 20,000. But Clement has no regrets.
"I thought about that," Clement said. "But at the same time I know where I am right now. Coming to Rice was for a reason and that's the way I look at it."
And now the duo that college scouts missed out on has led Rice to an 8-3 record going into the final home game of the season against Houston. The Owls are also in line for only their second bowl game since 1961 -- most likely the Armed Forces or Texas Bowl.
Clement is just four touchdown passes away from 40 and needs seven to become the 12th player in NCAA history to throw for 95 in a career, joining Brady Quinn and Philip Rivers.
