Clark learns offense, awaits chance to shine
By MIKE CONNOLLY
Sports Writer
For Jared Clark, this spring is not about a quarterback competition. It's about getting comfortable.
Although he is one of three freshmen battling for a spot under center Sept. 8 in Lincoln, Neb. Clark said he is focusing more on learning the offense than trying to beat out his fellow classmates — Carlyle Holiday and incumbent starter Matt LoVecchio.
"I am trying to learn everything," Clark said. "Right now I am just trying to get better at every part of the game. I am getting better at reading the routes and the defense better now."
It's hard to imagine that Clark couldn't feel comfortable under center. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound freshman from Sarasota, Fla. was one of the most heralded high school seniors in the country when he signed with the Irish in February, 2000.
But upon arriving at Notre Dame, he quickly learned that college football is much faster and complex than anything he experienced on the high school gridiron. While his arm strength and athleticism made him successful in high school, his mind would become his most important attribute in college football.
"You have to read the defense and know where to throw the ball," he said. "Everything has a purpose here rather than in high school when it was just `go down and out and I'll throw you the ball.' [In college,] you have to read people because everything they do here is for a purpose."
Although Clark is still waiting for his chance in shine under the Dome, he was almost an immediate star at Cardinal Mooney High School. He started the first game of him high school career in the opening round of the playoffs his freshman year.
His first start didn't go as well as expected. Tampa Catholic, led by former Miami Hurricanes quarterback Kareem Kelly, blasted Clark's squad 27-7.
"I didn't play real great," Clark said. "We ran like a wing-T offense so I didn't really do anything. I think I threw about three passes."
Clark admits being thrust into the starting spotlight was a bit overwhelming for a 15-year old.
"In high school, you are just a little kid when you are a freshman. It's kind of the same way here," he said. "You are just kind of in awe of how big everyone is. I was pretty nervous for that first game. I got used to it and I got better as the years went on."
After starting as a sophomore, Clark became the undisputed leader of the team his junior and senior season. As a junior, he threw eight touchdowns and rushed for 11 while throwing just six interceptions.
He was even better as a senior. He accounted for 27 total touchdowns his senior year — 10 rushing and 17 passing — as he led his high school to one of its best seasons ever. Cardinal Mooney advanced to the third round of the playoffs before losing to the eventual state champions.
He was also named first team all-state quarterback despite missing 2 1/2 games because of pneumonia.
Despite his high school success, many colleges wanted Clark to play defense in college. He started as a linebacker and defensive end. But Clark's heart was always at quarterback.
"All those schools wanted me for quarterback and that is definitely the position I want to play," Clark told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune when he committed to Notre Dame. "I would've played defense only if there weren't any other options. Fortunately that wasn't the case."
Although Clark was a running and passing threat in high school, he believes his best attribute compared to the other two quarterbacks is his arm strength. He gives the nod for rushing to Holiday.
"I feel like I can run the ball if I need to," he said. "I am not as fast as Carlyle so I can't run it as well as he can but I think I can get good enough at it that I can be effective."
Clark said he had no reservations about signing with Notre Dame even though he knew head coach Bob Davie had commitments from both Holiday and LoVecchio.
"I had no doubt whatsoever. The quarterback situation didn't really bother me," he said. "I mean if I am not going to win the starting job here, I am probably not going to be good enough to go to the next level anyways so I should probably try to get a good education."
Clark also had a pretty good idea about the competition he would face in the future.
"I was with Matt at the summer camp and I heard about Carlyle so I knew what I was up against," Clark said. "The better the competition, the better you have to step your play up. I just wanted to see if I could compete with these guys."
Clark, however, said the competition is not cutthroat and the three potential quarterbacks, for now, are more interested in helping each other improve than making each other look bad.
"I think it's definitely friendly between the three of us. We're friends off the field and we're friends on it," Clark said. "We are all trying to do our best. When anyone comes off the field, we try to help them. They come off the field, they ask questions. When I come off the field, I ask questions. We tell each other what we are doing wrong and we congratulate each other when we do something right."
For now, it appears LoVecchio is still the starter and Holiday's running skills can't be ignored. But in the last scrimmage open to the media, Clark looked the sharpest.
For the freshman from Sarasota, this spring is all about getting comfortable, learning the offense and getting ready for a run at the starting spot this summer.
"I think I have learned a lot more than I did during the year because I am getting a lot more reps and everything," Clark said. "I am learning a lot more and I am getting more comfortable with everybody and with the offense."
All Sports Stories for Friday, April 27, 2001
