ASU star DB Jordan Clark sat down alongside teammate Jaden Rashada with Taylor Lewan and Will Compton on the first episode that Bussin with the Boys’ released after they coached ASU’s spring game. Clark discussed a variety of topics on the show including why he likes ASU, his high expectations for the team this season and having Ryan Clark as his father.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Clark was a four-star prospect and the No. 38 cornerback coming out of high school in 2018 from Louisiana. Now a senior, Clark is listed at 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds. He had 47 tackles and two interceptions (one that was a pick-six) last season for the Sun Devils. In four seasons played for ASU, he has totaled 89 tackles and three interceptions.
“It just meant more to be here” ASU QB Jaden Rashada tells Bussin’ with the Boys
Here’s all that Clark said on the podcast:
Why He Chose ASU
Clark committed to the Sun Devils in October of 2018 after going to high school in Louisiana. He said he spent a lot of time in Arizona growing up, as his dad, Ryan Clark, did a lot of offseason training here.
He talked about why he liked the Sun Devils.
“There were players in my position room that looked like me,” he said. “I’m an undersized guy. That was big to me that I was going to a place where they play people that were my size, so I knew that wouldn’t be a factor in deciding who was going to get on the field and who wouldn’t.”
Jordan Clark never backs down from a challenge. Physical rep here matched up against Jalin Conyers. @DevilsDigest pic.twitter.com/iPxEgWWC9n
— Cole Topham (@HamAnalysis) March 14, 2023
He continued in saying that he is a big fan of Tempe.
“I love everything that this area has to offer, as far as the social life, the academic opportunities I had with the Cronkite School and all that stuff,” he said. “It was really an easy decision, a no-brainer for me.”
Asked @KennyDillingham about which players helped raise the competitive energy throughout today's practice.
He said @camskattebo5 is a bad dude (paraphrased) & @Jclark21_ is one of the most competitive players he has coached. @Sports360AZ pic.twitter.com/S2xPTC3ZOE
— Jordan Hamm (@JordyHamm) April 13, 2023
Expectations for ASU This Season
“For this year, the sky is the limit,” Clark said. “With the new energy that we have in the building and the new guys that we brought in, the talent that we have here, and the opportunities that we have as far as our schedule this year, I think that we’re shock a lot of people, and we’re gonna win a lot of football games.”
He further expanded on his point.
“I think we’re gonna be the beginning of a dynasty here with coach Dillingham,” he said.
Clark said that individual accolades don’t mean much to him.
“I just want to win football games, that’s all that’s important to me,” he said. “I want to play good ball always, but what I want is for this place to be returned to the top. I want to be top four, top five again, like they were some years ago. I want to do that stuff. I want to bring that energy back, so that’s what I’m looking forward to doing.”
Bird's eye view of the @Jclark21_ pick six 🤌#ForksUp | #O2V pic.twitter.com/FNyZlJguqe
— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) October 8, 2022
Having Ryan Clark as a Father
Clark’s dad, Ryan, played for 12 seasons as a safety for multiple teams in the NFL. He won a Super Bowl in 2009 with the Steelers and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2011. Now, Clark is a well-known ESPN analyst that covers the NFL.
“It was everything (to have him as a father),” Clark said. “In high school, my dad had me up at 4:30, 5 o’clock before school working out, and I leave there and I go to practice. And, after practice I’m right back at the gym after school.”
Clark continued: “He kind of really gave me the blueprint. So now, whenever I’m doing the work that is to some people ‘difficult’ or ‘hard,’ it’s what I’ve been doing my entire life, it’s the norm.”
Tune in on Saturday! #opendorse pic.twitter.com/JTybUt4Jx2
— Jordan Clark (@Jclark21_) October 27, 2022
Stories on Ryan Clark
Clark told some interesting stories about his father to Lewan and Compton.
Jordan said that one time during his sophomore year of high school, he missed two or three tackles during a game. He looked up in the stands and his dad, who was known as a great tackler, was angry. The next morning, Ryan woke up Jordan and put on his Super Bowl helmet and pads and the two did Oklahoma drills for an hour straight, obviously making then 15-year-old Jordan not very happy.
“I was getting messed up the whole time,” Clark said.
If you miss tackles in @Realrclark25’s house, be prepared for him to break out the Super Bowl helmet and run Oklahoma drills
Presented by @chevrolet #ad #chevyEV pic.twitter.com/igq6vPageF
— Bussin' With The Boys (@BussinWTB) April 17, 2023
The lesson Jordan learned from that: “Don’t miss tackles.”
Compton replied to Jordan and said that one thing Ryan was always persistent on was perfecting his angles for making tackles. He also said that he hooked a lot of players up with his trainers and regimen for staying in the league for so long.
Lewan mentioned that when they had Ryan on the podcast before that Ryan said that he would stand Derrick Henry up in the hole.
“I’m not gonna lie, I think he would literally die trying,” Jordan said. “Like literally, he is willing to die to do that, so I believe that (he would do it).”
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Brendan Mau is a college sports insider and general assignment reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on twitter via @Brendan_Mau
