WVU Football
Hudson Clement Responds to Hate from WVU Fans About Departure
The news about Hudson Clement leaving West Virginia to sign with Illinois angered some WVU fans. Well aware of the venom directed his way, Clement decided to speak his mind about his departure.
“Folks want me to do what makes them happy not what’s best for me. Y’all don’t know me and don’t know what I’ve been through. Never chased a bag, always chased better opportunities. Appreciate the ones who helped me get here, but I don’t owe no one anything,” said Clement.
Folks want me to do what makes them happy not what's best for me. Y'all don't know me and don't know what I been through. Never chased a bag always chased better opportunities. Appreciate the ones who helped me get here but I don't owe no one anything.
— Hudson Clement (@hudsonclement3) January 3, 2025
He also offered a message of thanks to WVU and the coaches, in particular former West Virginia head coach Neal Brown and wide receivers coach Bilal Marshall, he worked with while a Mountaineer.
Thank you West Virginia pic.twitter.com/OVQobEJ4dx
— Hudson Clement (@hudsonclement3) January 2, 2025
On Thursday, Clement signed on with Illinois after two seasons at West Virginia. Clement ended up picking Illinois about to weeks after entering the transfer portal on Dec. 20.
Clement became an instant fan favorite throughout the last two seasons. He initially started off as a walk-on out of Martinsburg, W.Va. and then eventually earned a full scholarship after a breakout performance early in the 2023 season.
In 2024, Clement caught 51 balls for 741 yards and scored five touchdowns. He’s coming off a monster performance in West Virginia’s 42-37 Frisco Bowl loss as well.
Against Memphis, Clement made 11 receptions for 166 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns.
Clement recorded 73 receptions for 1,221 yards and scored nine touchdowns in two years with West Virginia.
Find more coverage of Hudson Clement at WV Sports Now.
For a related story, WV Sports Now’s Mike Asti talked with fans about the hiring of Zac Alley as defensive coordinator.
Tim Buckley
January 2, 2025 at 9:25 pm
It seems you had want fost football players want, a full scholarship and NIT money. And to be able to have all that in your home state. Good bye
Cranjis McBasketball
January 2, 2025 at 9:35 pm
Welcome to the NIL era. I got no problem with him chasing a payday but he was a fan favorite because he was a walk-on from WV that got no interest from any other school and developed into a solid player that earned a scholarship. To expect fans to wish him well on the way out the door is just silly. You got a payday. Fine, just go. This post is bad PR at best for a completely predictable fan reaction. Don’t expect fans to be happy about it.
Shane
January 2, 2025 at 9:50 pm
Appears to have been given some bad advice by someone. I’m afraid this is probably the beginning of a downward spiral for him! Illinois? Wow!!! Confusing! Looks just like a move that Rich Rod made & regretted, except his move made a lot more sense than this one
Sharon
January 2, 2025 at 10:07 pm
Can’t blame him. Wouldn’t want to play for new coach either. Good luck, Hudson. You made the right decision, anywhere but WVU.
Rich Dowey
January 2, 2025 at 10:10 pm
Hudson, I’d love to know what criteria you used to determine what’s “best”. Best for one year? Best for two years? Best for a lifetime? Consider Owen Schmidt or Pat McAfee. They’re WV legends. They’ll always be revered in the state of WV and among the legion of WV nation no matter where they are.
Gregory Richmond
January 2, 2025 at 11:30 pm
Just another mercenary looking for a paycheck! Turn your back on your home state? Don’t let the doorknob hit you in the ass on the way out!
Allan Jones
January 3, 2025 at 12:47 am
Chill people, it’s just a game…Best of luck Hudson, next man up.
Robert Nuckles
January 3, 2025 at 8:05 am
Apparently he doesn’t realize that Neal Brown was the main reason that this team never had a chance of winning in the BIGXII conference in football.
Good bye and good luck because you are going to be a small fish in a big aggressive pond of sharks; compared to NB little cult followers.
Drg
January 3, 2025 at 8:16 am
Break a leg good luck with your endeavor
Margaret Hildebrand
January 3, 2025 at 8:42 am
Definitely should stay in college. 2 negatives in 1 sentence. 🤦🏻♀️
Daniel Richards
January 3, 2025 at 9:58 am
And that folks sums it up doesn’t it I don’t owe no one nothing. Really? That’s both ignorant and showing his youth. He owes everything to Mountaineer Nation in it so extremely poor exit on his part. It doesn’t matter the criticism. Mountaineer Nation gave him a huge opportunity. I wish him great success and I hope he grows up
Sam the Sham
January 3, 2025 at 2:14 pm
The childish ranting and taunting by our fans is not only embarrassing, it will make it harder to attract good players.
People are just blaming college kids for the expected result of hiring Rodriguez rather than a coach worthy of respect. Our best players are mostly leaving because they have better options. The ones staying are not more “loyal,” they just don’t have the same options. Our portal signees who are really disappointing to put it mildly are also the easily predicted result of this hiring.
Baker was doing well until this hire which will prove to be his downfall– if he doesn’t also flee before Rodriguez fails.
Kenneth Whittington
January 4, 2025 at 8:28 am
Hudson you screwed up Big Time man. You were everyone’s favorite player in this state and our best receiver. You could have been a legend. You don’t owe me or these young kids that loved to see you play but it was all because you are from our home state !!
Patrick Collins
January 6, 2025 at 2:12 pm
He is correct. I am from Wav and got two degrees from WVU, this is his journey, not yours.
This is the problem with people fetishizing “being from here”, they are usually disappointed in the end because they thought nothing could go wrong being “one of us”.
Let the young man be himself and get off his ass.