McAdoo has Clarendon excited about future

2022 athlete Quincey McAdoo was named Player of the Week after the McCory game.

— It has been a couple of decades since the community of Clarendon has been this excited about football, but there are valid reasons for the optimism.

Not only does Clarendon (1-0) have one of the state’s best football prospects in versatile junior wide receiver Quincey McAdoo (6-3, 184 pounds, 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash), but has 10 starters back on both offense and defense.

The fact that McAdoo has landed offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Oregon, Florida State, Miami, Oregon, Memphis, Houston and Florida International has just amplified that excitement.

“Every time I go out, I hear somebody go ‘Woo Pig Sooie,’” McAdoo said. “I can’t even go to Walmart without older people coming up saying, 'You should go to Arkansas. Are you going to Arkansas?’

“I have not seen people this excited about football around Clarendon. It is a great time for all of us.”

McAdoo, one of nine 2022 in-state prospects offered by the Razorbacks, is pumped about being a top target for Arkansas wide receivers coach Justin Stepp, offensive coordinator Kendal Briles and head Coach Sam Pittman.

“All of their coaches are cool,” McAdoo said. “Coach Stepp is my guy. He is so funny. Sometimes they called me and we don’t even talk one word about football. I really do believe that Arkansas is on the come up with this group of coaches.”

The Lions opened the season by blasting Barton 65-22 last week. McAdoo caught 4 passes for 88 yards and 4 touchdowns, and had 2 carries for 10 yards.

“A lot of people think we are going to be pretty good this season and I think we went out and proved them right," McAdoo said. "I really feel like this is going to be our best season around here in a long, long time.”

Even with social distancing in place, Clarendon fans turned out to take up all of the limited space available.

“I’ve never seen a Clarendon football game as packed as it was the other night,” McAdoo said. “The fans are so excited about our team.”

Clarendon has not won a league title since they shared one in 1998 and has not won an outright championship since 1984. The Lions are the favorites to win the Class 6-2A conference crown this season, according to Hooten’s Arkansas Football.


It’s a conference that also includes Des Arc, Carlisle, England, Marvell and Hazen, where current Razorback freshman tight end Blayne Toll led his team to 33 wins the past three years.

Clarendon was just 3-7 last season, but the 10 starters returning on both sides of the line have them tabbed as the favorite.

“Nobody switched positions so we have 10 people playing the same position they did last season so everybody knows what they are doing,” McAdoo said. “We just brought a junior in on defense and offense. I feel like we are going to be way better than we were last year.”

McAdoo has plenty of goals, but one in particular when it comes to his team.

“I want to improve all my numbers, but most of all I want to get a first-round win in the playoffs, which has not been done around here in forever,” McAdoo said. “I want to take care of that first and then we can move on from there.”

McAdoo led Clarendon in rushing yards (622), rushing touchdowns (8), catches (19), receiving yards (345) and touchdown catches (3) as a sophomore.

He believes working with a personal trainer in Memphis since last season has elevated his skill level.

“I am not trying to be cocky or anything, but I didn’t know until he showed me what I could do,” McAdoo said. “He got my footwork better, my 40 time down and did it just from mechanics that I had not been exposed to from being at a small school.”

McAdoo has been in contact with fellow 2022 in-state Razorback targets in Fayetteville receiver Isaiah Sategna (5-11, 170), Greenland defensive end JJ Hollingsworth (6-4, 240) and DeWitt tight end Dax Courtney (6-6, 230). Hollingsworth and Courtney are committed to Arkansas.

“I have plans to commit right before my senior year,” McAdoo said. “I want to be committed going into my senior season.

“We all — me, Isaiah, JJ, Dax — are in a group chat and we talk about how it would be together at Arkansas. Everybody is cool and we are getting closer even though we live in different towns.”

He admits that he was worried the season might not happen due to covid-19.

“I was going to be so hurt if we didn’t have a season,” McAdoo said. “In fact, I was going to be mad. Everybody was nervous and scared. I mean that’s all we have got in a small town like this. We need sports.”