Hype on Frank Clark. You buy it?
We have heard a lot of hype about Frank. This one is pretty amazing, if true. A 277 pound DE that can run 40 in 4.5 seconds.
http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2013/07/michigans_frank_clark_runs_45-.html
Until such time that this coaching staff tells me something that directly contradicts what I see with my own eyes (like Morgan Trent's 40 yard dash times for example) I'll believe it. If they say Clark is the real deal this year then he's deserving of the hype until his play says otherwise.
What about Morgan Trent's 40 times contradicted what you saw? The guy who chased down Percy Harvin from behind? Trent had his problems, but IIRC straight line speed wasn't one of them.
When Rich said Morgan ran a 4.13 40 I did not believe it for one second. That time would've placed him as the fastest player in college football despite his running down of Harvin I don't think Morgan had that type of super-elite top end speed.
I don't remember that at all. Are you sure you're not thinking of his shuttle time? Nobody runs a 4.13, nobody.
I 100% agree that nobody does. Which is why we were made fun of nationally when Rich said it. I was out in California when the story broke and the sportscasters out in LA had a lot of fun at our expense over the claim.
EDIT: I stand corrected and apologize. I looked into this a bit further and you're right...it WAS his shuttle time Rich said but the national media did pick up on it as if he had said his 40 time. I got fooled along with eveyone else. My bad.
the insiders on Clark, I'll be guardedly optimistic unitl I see him consistently beating his blocks on the field in actual games. Consistently is a key word here, because we've all seen guys who show flashes of brilliance but can not do it all the time, all season long. IF he did have a breakout season, it will be huge for the team though, especially with Jake Ryan sidelined for a while.
I'm still calling it. Frank Clark will have a breakout season leading the best defense in the Big Ten... This defense has me very excited.
D in the B1G??? Are you forgetting about someone???
Wait...Nevermind. Carry on.
Damn right I am!
Would like a word with you. Over there.
QWash would love to be single-blocked, I'm sure. If either of those guys can command a double-team on most plays and at least hold up to them, that should allow the other to cause significant problems for the opposition.
I will buy.
Can you guys feel it? Information leaking out? Football season must be near.
Even if he doesn't do much this Fall, his sack on Braxton Miller, where he just came off his blindside and drove his ass into the ground, will be one of my top-5 highlights of 2012.
Maybe its me who is mistaken, but I thought blindside meant coming from the left (when the QB is right handed)? If that's the case then Clark hit Miller from the frontside, not his blindside.. Perhaps I am mistaken in what blindside means though.
I think Frank is going to have a great season, which is something we will need.
"Frank, you had to kick in the butt a little bit (early in his career)," Michigan coach Brady Hoke said. "But he’s really stepped out. He’s been a big leader for us." - from the article
In addition to the endorsement from Taylor Lewan mentioned above, I like hearing this sort of stuff from the coaches too. That his work and his leadership are getting noticed by the staff and the players alike is definitely a great sign that we could see some great things out of Clark this year. Indeed, even in the article from April linked in this one, Drew Dileo remarked on how he believed that you have a great athlete in Clark because in him you have a defensive end that is faster than some of the receivers on the team. The team leadership is definitely endorsing Clark, and that is great to see.
The 9 TFL, by the way, were for a total of 26 yards. Frank also had 2 sacks for 13 yards and 3 pass breakups.
It's clear that Clark is a freak and has potential. I think he'll obviously be better than he's been since he arrived. But All-American? Or even All-B1G? I have not seen enough ON THE FIELD to believe that yet.
I have predicted Clark to get 8 sacks. If he's going to get top honors in the country or conference he'll need to do better than that.
I want it to be true, I believe it can be true, but Clark has to prove it first, and he hasn't...yet.
EDIT: If it is true, and he is a 12-sack guy, that is a HUGE piece of the puzzle for our B1G Championship. We NEED him to be great if we're going to win a title.
Yes and no. I've never doubted his athleticism. His problem seems to be between the ears, getting lost on plays, blowing assignments, biting hard on fakes, etc. These are the sort of things that tend to get better as a player gets older and has more experience, so I wouldn't be surprised if this is the year he puts it all together, especially considering the quality of D-line coaching we have. That said, I'll believe it when I see it (and be ecstatic), it's going to take more than some positive hype about his speed and size.
Reported to be a "freak" coming out of HS, but concern was about positional fit (LB or DL). He's grown and maintained the athleticism, it seems. He's shown flashes and proven he can be (at least) decent. Fits the profile of a breakout player with Roh, Beyer (and Ryan) out of his way on the edge. Also nice to have Ojemudia and Taco pushing him.
Great it sounds me nice :)
and as DG said, that would be in his class as to speed. All you have to do is see him explode off the line and how quickly he gets to top end to imagine this to be close to his actual time. Because he is able to do this, I think it's wise to to put the governor on his speed at certain times so as to maintain correct pursuit angles and not overrun the play and have to make tackles from the backside. But I know the coaches are working on this aspect of his game. Nice problem to have I'd think.
we have to get pressure with the front 4 and the rush end in particular. So I buy