File PhotoClinch County athlete Charles McClelland listed Appalachian State, Auburn, Central Florida, Cincinnati, Kentucky, LSU, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Navy and Tulane among the top 10 schools he’s interested in.

Clinch County athlete Charles McClelland enters his senior season with a state championship, a Player of the Year award and a handful of college offers already under his belt.

But all those accomplishments and accolades have done nothing to curb McClelland’s motivation going into the final season of his prep football career.

McClelland still has plenty of goals he wants to achieve personally, and as a team, throughout his senior season in Homerville.

The 5-foot-10, 175-pound athlete has picked up some steam on the recruiting trails after the conclusion of a junior season that saw McClelland earn Region 2-A Player of the Year honors and all-state honorable mention from the Georgia Sports Writer’s Association after rushing for 1,574 yards and 27 total touchdowns.

Following the season, McClelland competed at Nike Regional Opening in Orlando and posted a Sparq rating of 103.08 — which ranked among the top 30 out of the more than 300 athletes in attendance — after running a 4.51 in an electronic-timed 40 and clearing 37 inches in the vertical jump.

Less than a month following his athletic display at camp, McClelland received his first Division I offer from Appalachian State on March 8.

Since receiving his first offer, McClelland’s picked up 14 more scholarship offers, including three from SEC schools Auburn, LSU and Kentucky in less than a month’s time.

McClelland revealed his top 10 schools on June 27, which included: Appalachian State, Auburn, Central Florida, Cincinnati, Kentucky, LSU, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Navy and Tulane.

Wednesday, the 247Sports three-star athlete narrowed the list even further.

“My top three so far is Auburn, Tulane and Cincinnati,” McClelland said.

A quarterback in Clinch County’s single-wing offense the past two seasons, McClelland is slated to lineup at running back this season as he prepares for one of the positions he may be asked to play on the collegiate level.

Despite rushing for more than 2,500 yards and nearly 30 rushing touchdowns over the past two seasons, it’ll be an adjustment for McClelland to make from doing his damage on the ground as a quarterback to playing running back.

“Being able to see the holes a little quicker,” McClelland said is where he’ll need to improve. “The holes close up a little bit faster now.”

Although Auburn is currently recruiting McClelland as a cornerback, he’d rather play on the offensive side of the ball in college, whether that’s at running back or in the slot — although he doesn’t have a lot experience as a receiver in the Panthers’ run-heavy offense.

What’s kept McClelland interested in Auburn is his connection with the Tigers’ coaching staff, as coaching staff, as well as early play time, are a couple of the top factors in his eventual decision.

Until it’s time to make that decision though, McClelland’s thoughts will be occupied by the image of hoisting up another state championship trophy.

McClelland was one of the Panthers on stage with head coach Jim Dickerson at the Georgia Dome when Clinch County captured its sixth state championship in program history with a 24-7 victory against Irwin County, and he was one of the Panthers kneeling on the grass of Donald Tison Field after a 24-8 loss against McIntosh County Academy in the Class A semifinals kept Clinch from playing for its seventh title.

If McClelland’s to be believed, Clinch’s setback set up a major comeback this season.

“That hunger, it’s worse than ever now since we didn’t get it last year and we were so close,” McClelland said.

Derrick Davis is the sports editor at the Valdosta Daily Times.