Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Former Raider helping players transition after college
7/27/2018 9:00:00 AM | Football
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Life after college football can be difficult for players, filled with uncertainties and often no answers to a dreaded question: What's next?
For years – in some cases, decades – players depend on football for everything. It's their means to go to college; for some, an escape from a former life with no positive ending.
But, what happens when players exhaust their collegiate eligibility and don't see a clear next step?
A former Middle Tennessee defensive back is trying to help those players find a transition.
Joe E. McClendon III, a former defensive back who played for the Blue Raiders from 2000-01, is the chairman, founder and league president of the National Gridiron League, a spring indoor football league set to begin play in 2019.
The league's objective is to give former collegiate players another opportunity to stay in football by not only giving them a league to play in, but also more education and guidance.
"We want to encourage all of our young men to stay in football and get into coaching and other things in the sports industry," McClendon said. "I know how tough it is for guys after their college career is over to move on to that next step. We want to assist them in making those career choices."
McClendon has experience searching for the next thing after playing football.
Following his short MT career, he played several years in different indoor leagues, including with the Saginaw Sting in Saginaw, Michigan, and San Angelo Stampede Express in San Angelo, Texas.
He then bounced around a little as a coach, starting at Lennard High School in Ruskin, Florida, and later Presentation College in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
While coaching defensive backs at Presentation, McClendon started having thoughts about creating a spring league. What started as a fantasy quickly turned serious, and in 2017 those talks picked up considerable speed.
Sponsorships were sold and locations were picked, and soon 12 teams were set to begin the inaugural league year, which officially opens Oct. 1 with a season kick off planned for the spring.
"It's been something that's been cooking for quite some time now," McClendon said. "There's a lot of hard work left … but we're excited.
"We want the league to be a platform for players who've finished their college careers. We want them to have a respectable league where they can continue to get film and continue playing football. We understand most of our guys will use it as a transition as they go forward in life … and we want to help them make that transition easier."
As the league started to take shape, a board of directors was formed to help guide it in the right direction.
What McClendon wanted was someone he could trust. Someone who wouldn't be afraid to tell him the truth about the business, no matter the issue.
He found that in some former Blue Raider teammates.
Kendall Newson, ReShard Lee and Jykine Bradley, all former Raiders who also played professionally in the NFL and indoor leagues, quickly signed on to the seven-person board.
"When we were putting this whole thing together, I wanted to have some guys who I trust and who'll shoot it to me straight," McClendon said. "Those are guys that I've had an opportunity to build a relationship with in Murfreesboro … and I wanted to bring in those guys who have that experience to relay messages to our young guys."
With some former Middle Tennessee teammates at his side, McClendon is hoping to take the National Gridiron League to incredible heights quickly.
They'll start with 12 teams for the first few years, then, hopefully, expand to bring in even more players looking for the next step.
"We want to become the No. 1 indoor league in America, plain and simple," McClendon said.
Josh Vardaman is the staff writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Vardaman and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.
For years – in some cases, decades – players depend on football for everything. It's their means to go to college; for some, an escape from a former life with no positive ending.
But, what happens when players exhaust their collegiate eligibility and don't see a clear next step?
A former Middle Tennessee defensive back is trying to help those players find a transition.
Joe E. McClendon III, a former defensive back who played for the Blue Raiders from 2000-01, is the chairman, founder and league president of the National Gridiron League, a spring indoor football league set to begin play in 2019.
The league's objective is to give former collegiate players another opportunity to stay in football by not only giving them a league to play in, but also more education and guidance.
"We want to encourage all of our young men to stay in football and get into coaching and other things in the sports industry," McClendon said. "I know how tough it is for guys after their college career is over to move on to that next step. We want to assist them in making those career choices."
McClendon has experience searching for the next thing after playing football.
Following his short MT career, he played several years in different indoor leagues, including with the Saginaw Sting in Saginaw, Michigan, and San Angelo Stampede Express in San Angelo, Texas.
He then bounced around a little as a coach, starting at Lennard High School in Ruskin, Florida, and later Presentation College in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
While coaching defensive backs at Presentation, McClendon started having thoughts about creating a spring league. What started as a fantasy quickly turned serious, and in 2017 those talks picked up considerable speed.
Sponsorships were sold and locations were picked, and soon 12 teams were set to begin the inaugural league year, which officially opens Oct. 1 with a season kick off planned for the spring.
"It's been something that's been cooking for quite some time now," McClendon said. "There's a lot of hard work left … but we're excited.
"We want the league to be a platform for players who've finished their college careers. We want them to have a respectable league where they can continue to get film and continue playing football. We understand most of our guys will use it as a transition as they go forward in life … and we want to help them make that transition easier."
As the league started to take shape, a board of directors was formed to help guide it in the right direction.
What McClendon wanted was someone he could trust. Someone who wouldn't be afraid to tell him the truth about the business, no matter the issue.
He found that in some former Blue Raider teammates.
Kendall Newson, ReShard Lee and Jykine Bradley, all former Raiders who also played professionally in the NFL and indoor leagues, quickly signed on to the seven-person board.
"When we were putting this whole thing together, I wanted to have some guys who I trust and who'll shoot it to me straight," McClendon said. "Those are guys that I've had an opportunity to build a relationship with in Murfreesboro … and I wanted to bring in those guys who have that experience to relay messages to our young guys."
With some former Middle Tennessee teammates at his side, McClendon is hoping to take the National Gridiron League to incredible heights quickly.
They'll start with 12 teams for the first few years, then, hopefully, expand to bring in even more players looking for the next step.
"We want to become the No. 1 indoor league in America, plain and simple," McClendon said.
Josh Vardaman is the staff writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Vardaman and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.
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