NITRO HAS SAFETY WITH NUMBERS SENIOR JEFF CLARK PICKED OFF NINE PASSES IN REGULAR SEASON

Publication: CHARLESTON DAILY MAIL
Published: 11/14/1997
Page: P1B
Headline: NITRO HAS SAFETY WITH NUMBERS SENIOR JEFF CLARK PICKED OFF NINE PASSES IN REGULAR SEASON
Byline: TOM ALUISE

Jeff Clark apparently isn't catching enough passes on offense. So the
Nitro High School sophomore is satisfying his craving on the defensive
side of the ball.

Opposing quarterbacks, of course, are the unfortunate ones serving up
flying footballs to the 6-foot-3, 175-pound Wildcat free safety.

And he's grabbed a bunch.

Clark finished the regular season with nine interceptions, a total
that, no doubt, ranked the Wildcat defender among state leaders.

And Nitro played only nine games.

"I wouldn't expect anybody to come in as a sophomore free safety, grab
nine interceptions and be a big hitter like he is,' said Nitro Coach
Robert "Little' Burdette. "It didn't take us long in August to figure
he needed to be out there on the field.'

With Nitro's high-powered passing attack producing points like Nike
churns out shoes, the Wildcat defense sometimes gets overlooked.

Last year, Nitro was abysmal on defense toward the end of the season.
This year, the Wildcats have improved and part of the reason is Clark
and his penchant for bone-crushing tackles.

"He lays a lick on them (receivers) when the ball is thrown and nobody
catches it and even when they do catch it,' Burdette said. "I think
that's been a driving force in helping our defense. Once a receiver
gets tattooed like that, he starts looking for the free safety. And
he's probably an imposing figure back there. Jeff's about 6-4.'

Clark will be in action again at 1:30 p.m. Saturday when the
third-rated Wildcats (8-1) play No. 14 Oak Hill (7-3) in a first-round
Class AAA playoff game at Crawford Field in St. Albans.

And Clark will be looking for theft No. 10. If he gets it, Clark will
have as many interceptions on the season as he does pass receptions
(10 for 47 yards and one touchdown).

"The coaches make sure I know where I need to be,' Clark said
following a light Thursday workout at Underwood Field. "And the
defensive line puts pressure on the quarterback and it puts me in a
position to do it.'

Clark, who didn't play football as a freshman but started for the
Wildcats in basketball and averaged in double figures, also gives
credit to Nitro's high-scoring offense, directed by quarterback J.R.
House, who's thrown for 1,945 yards and 22 TDs in only five games.

"Our offense forces teams to pass,' Clark said "Not many teams around
here pass.'

Clark also learns from watching House punish defensive backfields.

"I see how coaches tell J.R. to pick through the secondary and I
listen in on that. It helps a lot,' said Clark, who has 36 tackles,
14 assists, four pass breakups and a fumble recovery.

"When teams run the ball he reacts pretty well,' Burdette said.
"That's where he gets his tackles.'

And his interceptions?

"The best thing he does is break on the ball when the quarterback lets
it go,' Burdette said. "He can really cover sideline to sideline.'

Included in Clark's nine interceptions are key picks in late-season
victories over DuPont and Herbert Hoover.

Against Roane County, Clark picked off a pass and raced 100 yards for
an apparent TD. It was called back by a clip.

Burdette said Clark has a future on both sides of the ball.

"He's a good receiver,' he said. "We're really looking for some big
things out of him.'

Clark's dad, Greg Clark, a former standout basketball player and track
athlete at Hanover (Ind.) College, was recently inducted into the
Hanover Athletic Hall of Fame.