Clayton was named to NAIA’s All-American team that year and the touchdown he scored on Rubio was one of the 31 he tallied that year — a total that led the nation.

“At that moment, my attitude was, even though I gave up a touchdown, I thought I was like a world-beater, I didn’t care, I hope he runs that play again. You have to have such a short memory. If you’re a corner and you get beat on an 80-yard bomb and you go into the tank, you’re going to get eaten up all day long. You literally have to believe that even if you gave up that touchdown, well, that was a fluke. I hope they run it again.”

According to Rubio, they did. “They tried the same route again, like in the third quarter, and I picked it off in the end zone. I didn’t run it back — he was a big guy, like 6′3″ — but I picked it off.” It wasn’t enough, however, as Missouri Valley defeated Tarkio College 54-7.

Rubio never directly mentioned the debate, though everyone there knew why he was sharing these life lessons. His only reference to it came in passing and in anticipation of an argument no one had made. “I’m not saying that I just gave up an 80-yard bomb. I don’t agree with that assessment. But when you play corner you have to have the shortest memory possible.”