This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

If he's lying, he has one heck of a poker face.

Right down to the busted lip.

As a junior college transfer who may have just one year of eligibility remaining, Kaelin Clay had every right to be ecstatic after his fourth game as a Ute.

He hopes to make the NFL, and if he keeps returning kicks for a touchdown of one per game — or even one every three games, now — he seems to be well on his way.

But he had tears in his eyes and blood on his lip on the podium Saturday night, after the Utes squandered a 21-0 lead he helped build.

"I could care less right now," Clay said. "I'd rather be 4-0 than have that punt return."

Said punt return, though, was really something.

Clay caught the ball on the east sideline, spun away from a tackler and ran west. West, and then north, and then through the end zone.

Last week in Ann Arbor he paid homage to Michigan great Desmond Howard by striking the Heisman pose.

This time, he went with a simple hop.

"I had two great blocks," Clay said. "I did the rest."

His third punt return as a Ute ties him with Baltimore Ravens wideout Steve Smith for the most in a season. Not bad company. And Clay has eight or nine games to spare.

With one more punt return for a score, he'll tie the Utah career record of four set by Steve Odum.

And of course he also has a kickoff return for a touchdown.

And he also had a career high five catches for 65 yards.

And, and.

And it doesn't matter to him right now, because he may have proven himself, but the Utes — tonight, at least — didn't.

mpiper@sltrib.com

Twitter: @matthew_piper