By Darin Zora G. Clevenger is a cornerstone of Indiana University football history. This halfback not only starred for the Hoosiers from 1900 to 1903, but he returned to become one of the longest-serving and most influential Athletic Directors in the program’s history. Discover the journey of this two-way College Football Hall of Famer who dominated on the field and shaped the IU athletic department for decades.
Football Bio
December 12, 1881 – Muncie, Indiana – Zora G. Clevenger, the halfback from the University of Indiana, was born. According to IUHoosiers.com, Z.G. Clevenger played football for the Hoosiers program from 1900 through the 1903 season, and he captained the team in that final year. After graduation, Clevenger stayed on at Indiana for a few more years, coaching both the football and basketball teams that he once starred on.
He left the Hoosiers for a period and served as a coach and Athletic Director at Tennessee, Kansas State, and Missouri. Zora later became Indiana’s Athletic Director, 1923-46. Zora Clevenger joined the ranks of the College Football Hall of Fame in 1968.
Accolades and Football Accomplishments
- Birth Date: December 12, 1881 (Muncie, Indiana)
- Player Position: Halfback
- Team: Indiana University Hoosiers
- Playing Career: 1900–1903 seasons
- Captaincy: Captained the Hoosiers team in his final season (1903).
- Coaching/AD Roles: Coached football and basketball at Indiana post-graduation; served as a coach and Athletic Director at Tennessee, Kansas State, and Missouri.
- Key Administrative Role: Served as Indiana University’s Athletic Director from 1923–1946.
- Hall of Fame: Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1968.
Conclusion
Zora G. Clevenger’s legacy is remarkable for its dual impact on football. He began as a talented halfback and captain who anchored the Hoosiers’ backfield in the early 1900s. Crucially, his later administrative career, spanning decades as Indiana’s Athletic Director, cemented his influence far beyond the playing field. His 1968 induction into the College Football Hall of Fame honors a man whose life was dedicated to the development and leadership of college athletics.
