Claiborne Men

College Football Hall of Famer Jerry Claiborne gave Maryland football a new life from 1972-81. He also championed developing his student-athletes into men of good character. 

When Claiborne took the helm, the Terps had won just nine games in five years. However, he had already produced a winning program in his second season. His teams made six consecutive bowl games from 1973-78, with wins in the 1975 Gator Bowl and 1977 Hall of Fame Classic. In 1974, Sporting News named Claiborne the nation's Coach of the Year. Furthermore, his 1976 team went 11-1 and ranked No. 8 in the Associated Press poll. He achieved a 77-37-3 record during his decade in College Park and is undoubtedly one of the greatest coaches in Maryland football history. 

In an effort to honor the legacy of the late Maryland Hall of Fame coach, many of his former letterwinners suggested creating a scholarship in his name. The initiative is already more than halfway through its goal of raising $250,000 for the Jerry Claiborne Scholarship Endowment. 

“In addition to his on-the-field greatness, he instilled a set of principles that we didn't necessarily understand then,” Robert Schwartz, a 1975 letterwinner under Claiborne, said. “He taught us the importance of commitment, integrity and getting an education. … He was a guiding light and a surrogate dad.”

Kyle Lorton, a 1979-80 letterwinner under Claiborne, shared a similar sentiment. 

“I have more dreams about Maryland football than anything else,” Lorton said. “A lot of times, coach Claiborne is in them. He had an impactful life for me.” 

Lorton and Schwartz partnered with the M Club Foundation to collect the initial pledges needed to establish the scholarship with the University of Maryland College Park Foundation. They quickly surpassed their initial goal of $50,000. So far, 17 former players and supporters have committed to the scholarship, representing more than $125,000. 

“The M Club is proud to have played a small role in establishing this scholarship for Coach Claiborne,” said Laura Chiriaco, Executive Director of the M Club. “Typically, a single donor is needed to establish an endowment at $50,000. By partnering with the M Club, a group of former athletes can collectively establish an endowment. This is a great way to pay tribute to a coach or teammate or celebrate milestone anniversaries while benefiting future generations of student-athletes. Alumni like the Claiborne men truly embody our mission of ‘Athletes Helping Athletes.’”

The scholarship will be preferred to student-athletes who have used up their eligibility but have yet to finish their degree, walk-ons and football managers. 

“Claiborne did that for many guys, more than I can think of,” Lorton said. “These guys would use their eligibility up but didn't have a degree. Coach Claiborne would say, ‘Hey, why don't you be a grad assistant or something so you can get your degree.”  

The letterwinners came up with the idea of honoring their former coach after honoring another individual who left an impression on them during their time at Maryland. As student-athletes, they lived in the Ellicott Hall dorms and had a resident assistant named James Merkel, who doubled as a football academic counselor. 

In March 2021, Merkel was diagnosed with stage four stomach cancer and was given six months to live. Several people who knew him well got together, and Lorton proposed honoring him with a scholarship in his name. They successfully raised $100,000 to create the Jim Merkel Endowed Scholarship for Football.

Celebrating the accomplishment, they hosted a reunion at Merkel’s house. Many reconnected, and others met each other for the first time. However, everyone connected over two individuals — Merkel and Coach Claiborne. 

“Guys came for Merkel’s party that I had never seen or met,” Lorton said. “Some I only knew about their name. I was taking the lead with trying to get people to give and whatnot, but we had the party, and everyone kind of said, ‘Guys, it would be nice if we did this more often.’”

Merkel ended up making an incredible recovery, and many of Claiborne’s former players have since hosted more reunions. They even nicknamed themselves the “Claiborne Men.” The collective brought them to seek a way to honor their former coach.  

“Your teammate was your roommate when I was a student, and I think there was a bond established there,” Schwartz said. “The reason I think our players are still united 50 years later is because we grew up together.” 

The former student-athletes recently attended a reunion in College Park on Sept. 6. The Jerry Claiborne Scholarship Endowment was also announced during the first quarter of Maryland’s game against Michigan State on Sept. 7, while many Claiborne-era players were recognized as honorary captains. 

The Claiborne Men aim to achieve their $250,000 fundraising target by the end of this fiscal year — June 2025. For Jonathan Claiborne, the son of the Hall of Famer, seeing others come together in support of his father means the world.  

Jonathan lettered under his father from 1975-77. He also previously served as president of the University of Maryland’s Young Alumni Organization and M Club and as a board member of the University of Maryland Educational Foundation.

“I’m very proud of that,” Jonathan said. “It makes me happy that he had a positive influence on a lot of people. He had a positive influence on me, both as a father and as a coach. … This is a group that has a beyond normal level of camaraderie, friendship and loyalty, and everybody seems to share a common positive experience.”