Villanova Univeristy Athletics

After a successful collegiate career in which he made an impact in multiple areas of the field, Tom Clavin went on to play one season of professional football for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the CFL in 1950. He played for the Wildcats from 1946-49 and was part of the graduating Class of 1950. Clavin was inducted to the Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1990.
 
Villanova had a strong backfield group during Clavin’s career and as a sophomore in 1947 he was one of five Wildcats to rush for over 180 yards in a 10-game season. Clavin shared touches with eventual fellow Hall of Famers such as Ralph Pasquariello, Bob Polidor and Joe Rogers that season. Villanova went 6-3-1 on the season and played Kentucky in the Great Lakes Bowl in Cleveland.
 
Clavin’s career rushing totals added up to 282 yards on 72 carries. He scored three career touchdowns and threw a touchdown pass for 21 yards during his junior season. As his career went on, Clavin became a placekicking specialist. He made 57-of-75 PATs from 1947 through 1949 and kicked a field goal from the 23-yard line in a 1949 win over North Carolina State.
 
One of the best games of Clavin’s career came in a 27-6 win at Detroit on October 29, 1948 when he rushed for a career-high 56 yards and a touchdown while going 3-of-4 on PAT attempts. His nine points on the day were second-highest single-game total of his career behind a two-touchdown performance in the 1947 season opener against Kings Point.
 
Clavin was part of the first bowl game win in school history on January 1, 1949 when Villanova downed Nevada, 27-7, in the Harbor Bowl in San Diego. That win capped off his junior season with the Wildcats owning an 8-2-1 record, their most wins in a decade. The season was the last in the tenure of Hall of Fame head coach Jordan Olivar.
 
As a senior in 1949, Clavin made 32-of-38 PATs and his only career field goal to finish the season with 35 points, good for third on the team behind Pasquariello and Rogers. Villanova went 8-1 on the year with its notable wins coming against Texas A&M for the second straight season and later in the year at home against North Carolina State at Franklin Field. The Wildcats were 28-10-2 (.725) overall during Clavin’s collegiate career.
 
During the 1950 CFL season, Clavin scored one rushing touchdown in two games played for the Ottawa Rough Riders.