Homer Jordan facts for kids
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Jordan at Clemson in 1981
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| Position: | Quarterback |
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| Personal information | |
| Born: | March 21, 1960 |
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Weight: | 183 lb (83 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College: | Clemson |
| Undrafted: | 1983 |
| Career history | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Homer Jordan (born March 21, 1960) is a former American football player. He was a talented quarterback who led the Clemson Tigers to a national championship in 1981. He also played professionally in the Canadian Football League and briefly for the Cleveland Browns in the NFL.
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Growing Up
Homer Jordan grew up in Athens, Georgia. He played football at Cedar Shoals High School in Athens. He was a star player, playing both quarterback and safety. After high school, Jordan chose to play college football at Clemson University. He wanted to continue playing quarterback.
College Football Star
Jordan played for Clemson University from 1979 to 1982. He was known as a "dual threat" quarterback. This means he was great at both throwing the ball and running with it.
National Championship Season
In 1981, Jordan led the Clemson Tigers to an amazing season. The team started the year unranked, meaning no one expected them to be good. But they won every single game, finishing with an 11–0 record. They became the number one team in the country!
Clemson then played the #4 ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 1982 Orange Bowl. Clemson won the game 22–15, becoming the National Champions. Jordan was named the Most Valuable Player of the Orange Bowl. He completed 11 passes and threw for a touchdown in that big game. He was also chosen for the All-ACC team that year.
Later College Years
In 1982, Jordan had a knee injury and surgery. Even with the injury, he helped Clemson have another strong season. They finished 9-1-1 and shared the ACC title. Clemson ended the season ranked #8 in the nation. His last college game was a 21–17 win against Wake Forest.
Playing Professionally
After college, Homer Jordan played in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played quarterback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders for two seasons, starting in 1983. He then played briefly for the Cleveland Browns in the NFL in 1987.
After Football
After his playing career, Jordan returned to his hometown of Athens, Georgia. He became an assistant football coach at his old high school, Cedar Shoals High School. He coached there for 10 seasons, starting in 2002. His son, Darius Jordan, also played quarterback at Cedar Shoals High School. Homer Jordan is married to his high school sweetheart, Deborah Arnold, and they still live in Athens.
Honors and Awards
Homer Jordan has received several honors for his football career:
- In 1993, he was inducted into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame.
- In 2000, he was inducted into the Athens Athletic Hall of Fame.
- On August 31, 2013, he was an Honorary Captain for the Clemson Tigers in their game against the Georgia Bulldogs.
