'They're just good people': Why Saadiq Clements followed Jeff Brohm to Louisville

HENDERSON, Ky. — Saadiq Clements faced a crossroads late last week.

The Henderson County senior defensive end had been committed to play football for Purdue University since the middle of June. He has nothing but admiration for coach Jeff Brohm, defensive line coach Mark Hagen and the rest of the staff. Brohm and Hagen made the effort to attend games at Colonels Stadium and establish personal connections with Clements, his family and Henderson County's coaches.

"They just kept it real with me," Clements said of the coaches. "They're just good people."

Henderson County football:Saadiq Clements is a quiet wrecking ball on the defensive line

That's one of the main reasons he flipped his commitment over the weekend from Purdue to the University of Louisville, remaining loyal to new Cardinals coach Brohm. He cherishes the relationships they built. Brohm had just visited Clements four days before he was hired away by Louisville last week.

Still, that news initially created a whirlwind experience for Clements. His father, Edward, was first notified by Brohm of his plans to leave, followed by Clements. Brohm advised he would provide an update within 48 hours. Shortly thereafter, he reached out again that he indeed was Louisville-bound.

Clements basically had three options: Stick with the Boilermakers, follow Brohm, or completely re-open his recruitment. He ultimately came to a quick decision.

"I'm just glad that he found the connection with that staff," Henderson County coach Josh Boston said. "Relationships are big, and he obviously built solid relationships with the staff when they were at Purdue throughout the recruiting process. It kind of made it an easy decision (of going to Louisville) once they were still interested in bringing him along."

Although Clements was excited about playing for Purdue, it was Brohm who made him feel he belonged at the next level. Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 280 pounds, Clements runs a 4.7-second 40-yard-dash. He has size and speed. There's a reason the three-star prospect was heavily recruited.

Yet, the time was finally right for Brohm to lead of his alma mater. He's a Louisville native who played quarterback for the Cardinals from 1989-93. After compiling a 36-34 record in six seasons with Purdue, Brohm was announced as the Cardinals' 24th head football coach last Thursday. It also has been reported Hagen will join Brohm's staff following the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 2. Hagen has been with the Boilermakers since 2000.

There was uncertainty about how many coaches Brohm was taking to Louisville. But Hagen following seemed to be the icing on the cake for Clements' decision.

"It's really exciting," he said. "I used to go to their games when I was (little) all the time. It's kind of like a surreal experience."

Clements already liked what he saw from Louisville, which extended a scholarship offer in July 2021 when his recruitment began to take off — Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Florida State and Middle Tennessee State also offered. He never ultimately visited Louisville's campus but had toured the football facility. He particularly remembers the weight room.

Once Brohm signaled he was leaving, Boston was on the phone with other college coaches who offered Clements in the past. Some of them even visited Clements in person this past Friday to sway his decision.

Still, Clements didn't waver from Brohm. He's one of the two in-state defensive recruits to flip from Purdue to Louisville.

He was a main factor in the Colonels going 10-3 and reaching the 6A quarterfinals this fall, marking one of their best seasons in 16 years. Clements logged 21 sacks to lead Kentucky's Class 6A. He also had 62 tackles, 10.5 of which came for loss, and recovered three fumbles.

And while his stats are flashy, he certainly isn't. He carries himself with humility and is a dedicated student with a 3.6 GPA. He remains thankful as always for all the support he received throughout the process.

Clements is happy with his new home in Louisville. Plus, it's even closer to his family in Henderson.

Courier & Press sports reporter Treasure Washington can be reached via her email, treasure.washington@courierpress.com, and on Twitter @Twashington490.

This article originally appeared on Henderson Gleaner: Why Saadiq Clements followed Jeff Brohm to Louisville football