The Bull, the myth, the legend: Clark Croshaw revealed as Big Blue
The identity of the man behind the Big Blue mask has been a Utah State University mystery for decades, but Aggies don’t have to wonder anymore, as Big Blue was revealed on Feb. 28 as student-athlete and soon-to-be graduate Clark Croshaw.
“It’s really exciting, and it doesn’t happen often, mostly because it’s kind of rare,” said Morgan Watts, head coach of the USU Spirit Squad. “For a Blue to have the honor to do his reveal, or beheading, he needs to be a four-year member of the spirit squad.”
Big Blue dresses up as Cupid at the Dee Glenn Smith Spectrum on Feb.14.
Croshaw served as Big Blue throughout the entirety of his college experience despite having never considered becoming a mascot before.
“Both my parents are Aggies, so from when I was in middle school, Utah State was the plan,” Croshaw said. “My parents were always like, ‘You could be Big Blue,’ and I kind of brushed it off. At the time, I wasn’t even a cheerleader yet.”
After training to be a cheerleader and making the USU Spirit Squad, the opportunity to be Big Blue fell into Croshaw’s lap unexpectedly during a basketball game his first year.
“The other Big Blue had something happen where he wasn’t able to finish the basketball game, so they came and pulled me off the line, and they’re like, ‘Hey, we need a Blue. Do you want to do it?’ and I was like, ‘Yes, I do,’” Croshaw said.
From then on, Croshaw was asked to fill in as Big Blue until he was officially awarded the spot his sophomore year.
“I don’t think it was something he was planning on, but he was so good,” Watts said. “Clark filled in, he stepped up and he became one of the best Big Blues I’ve ever had spontaneously.”
Croshaw said one of his favorite parts of being Big Blue was it allowed him to be the biggest hype man in the room.
“As soon as I put on that suit, every single person in the [Dee Glen Smith] Spectrum is, like, my best friend, you know. They want pictures with me. They’re handing me, like, six-week-old babies,” Croshaw said. “It’s the ultimate way to experience a sporting event.”
Aside from interacting with students, Croshaw said he also loved interacting with kids.
“To the kids, you’re like an actual superhero,” Croshaw said. “It’s like if Iron Man walked into the room. They care that much.”
Croshaw said while the opportunity to be Big Blue is an honorable one, it is also a taxing one.
“I could have nothing going on all day. I’m doing great, I’m feeling great, and a two-hour, two-and-a-half-hour basketball game will put me on my butt,” Croshaw said. “I think that’s not something that I even could have prepared for until I had to just do it.”
JACK LEWIS BURTON Despite the weight, heat and reduced visibility inside the suit, Watts said she knew Croshaw would be able to handle it.
“He’s really athletic and is highly trained in gymnastics, and he was just kind of the hype, really happy, go-to guy,” Watts said. “He was raised as a hard worker, and I can tell by being his coach because when something needs done, he gets it done.”
As he looks back on his experience from inside the suit, Croshaw said the emotion he feels most often is gratitude.
“It’s so special to get to do what I do, and it just means so much to people,” Croshaw said. “I wish I could say that it means more to me than it does other people, but I really don’t think it does.”
For Croshaw, Big Blue is defined very little by who’s actually in the suit and more by what he represents.
“I could never make Big Blue what he is, you know. That’s everyone else’s job,” Croshaw said. “My job is to do flips off the scoreboard and throw things at the other team’s fans, and if I just did that as me, it wouldn’t mean anything. I get to embody everyone’s excitement about the game at once.”
As he looks forward to life after college, Croshaw said he will likely put his mascot career to rest to focus on his job and family.
“It gets to be a really great memory. I’ll never not think about my time in school and not think about some aspect of being Big Blue,” Croshaw said. “I’m already married, and I’m going to have kids. I could leave the things that I loved during college in college, move on and still honor the fact that they meant a lot to me.”
Watts said she hopes Croshaw gets the acknowledgement he deserves for exceeding in a job where his hard work often went unrecognized.
“Clark’s personality has brought so much energy and positivity and laughter, and I’m just really going to miss the silliness and spontaneity that he would bring to any event or practice,” Watts said. “There’s so much passion behind the suit, and I just want him to feel the love and appreciation from USU.”
