Countdown to Army-Navy: Jaylon McClinton - Last Stand in the Black & Gold

When we asked around to the Army coaching staff and here were a few the sentiments surrounding senior defensive back Jaylon McClinton, who will lacing them up on Saturday for the last time against rival Navy.

He is very smart; Can play any position in the secondary from a mental/knowing what to do stand point; He’s a coach on the field and vocal leader.

GoBlackKnights.com had the opportunity to chat with #7 after practice to get his thoughts as he closes out his Army West Point football career.

Of course one of the resounding themes this season with that Black Knights has been injuries ... especially among many of the starters, which has included McClinton, who has been hampered throughout the 2019 campaign, but he’s been valuable coaching up the younger guys.

“I feel good and I plan on playing the whole game,” said the product of Charlotte, North Carolina, when asked how he feels physically going into the game on Saturday.

Of course this regular season hasn’t played out the way the coaches, players and fans would have liked, but there is the BIG game left against the nationally ranked Midshipmen. Even the casual fan of college football fan knows the importance of the Army-Navy. So we asked McClinton how important is it for him as a senior to take down the Midshipmen for 4th time in a row.

“No matter how the season has gone, everything is washed and we 0-0 records going into this game,” he explained. “I know that every year that I’ve played in it that’s how we looked at it and now we have a chance to go 4-0 against Navy and that’s something a lot of folks haven’t been able to do.”

“I love that Navy is ranked and I want Air Force to be ranked too ... I want them all to be ranked when we play them. Because to be the best, you have to beat the best and that’s how I look at it.”

On Saturday, this will be McClinton’s last game wearing the Black & Gold and with the success of the program over the past 4-years, there are plenty of memories, but the dependable and talented defensive back was able to share with us what has been his most memorable moment playing for the Black Knights?

“I’m going to go back to my freshman year in 2016 win over Navy,” he declared. “That was the year that we broke the streak and for the seniors that year, it was an amazing feeling to step up as a freshman and start at corner and send those guys out doing something that they have never done before. That was really special for me.”

“I’m going to miss it,” shared McClinton in a very transparent moment. “I’m cherishing every moment. Every time I put my helmet on before practice I really take it in. I’m going to miss it, that is as much as I can say about it. I’m going to miss every aspect of it. But I’m still going to have my boys with me once we leave out of here, there will be great memories of this place, but nothing will beat putting on these pads and going at it with these guys (Army Football Brotherhood) and competing.”

**To chat with other Army fans about this article and more, please visit The 12th Knight message board**