What do Drew Brees and Daryll Clark have in common?
Walt Disney World.
Brees visited the resort to celebrate his Saints’ Super Bowl
XLIV win over the Colts, where he was feted in parade fashion.
Clark came to work.
Invited to the six-day 2010 NFL Scouting Combine in
Indianapolis, Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark has spent almost
a month in preparation at the Disney Wide World of Sports complex
in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., under the tutelage of Frank Beyer.
Beyer, a former football player and graduate of Bradford Central
Christian High School in the 1970s, has been integral to the
development of athletes for over 20 years at Tom Shaw’s Performance
Enhancement training program at Disney.
Day in and day out, Clark has worked with Beyer on enhancing his
speed and improving his strength and conditioning, ultimately
getting the two-year PSU starter ready for his evaluation at the
combine, which starts today.
Clark calls the combine, where over 300 players, 600-plus scouts
and countless front office personnel will be watching, the biggest
“job interview of his life,” adding he is fortunate to be in the
position he is in now.
And, he just isn’t talking about the weather in central
Florida.
“Sittin at perkins in the sun shine state…78 degrees today baby
lol great day to get better,” Clark typed on his Twitter account
Feb. 20.
“Obviously, I’m very excited,” Clark said during a phone
interview Monday. “It’s time to showcase what you’re good at and
show your potential (at the next level). I’ve prepared at the
highest level. I definitely got nerves, but they will be there. I
just have to go and give it my all and show what I have.”
The Penn State standout holds seven records in his tenure, the
most eye-catching being marks for most passing yards in a season
(3,003), most touchdown passes in a season (24) and single-season
touchdowns responsible for (31). The last statistic might be tops,
because Clark had his hand in 43 touchdowns over his duration at
Happy Valley.
Those accomplishments were better than predecessors Kerry
Collins, Todd Blackledge or Michael Robinson ever posted, cementing
Clark’s spot right there atop the Nittany Lions’ most revered list
of quarterbacks.
Still, after losing the 2009 Rose Bowl game to a Mark
Sanchez-led USC team, 38-24, many experts thought Clark didn’t have
what it takes to commandeer a team to victory in big games —even
after a 11-2 inaugural season at QB.
Then came this year’s Capital One Bowl against the LSU
Tigers.
Named the game’s Most Valuable Player, Clark headed a 12-play,
65-yard drive to setup the winning boot by Collin Wagner that gave
Penn State a 19-17 win. In swamp-like conditions, Clark went 18 for
35 for 216 yards and one TD — here’s the kicker, with no
interceptions — to earn his second straight 11-2 record as a
starter.
“It was a big win on our side,” admitted Clark. “We, including
myself, side-stepped all of the criticisms because they just went
by the ones we weren’t able to finish. I couldn’t ask for a better
way to end my career.”
Enter the next step in the Youngstown, Ohio, native’s journey
— the NFL Draft in April, to which Clark said he is “just going to
be happy to make it.”
But, watch out Brett Favre. The 6-foot-3, 232-pound prospect
didn’t grow up a Browns or Bengals fan. He was an avid fan of the
Vikings.
“A lot of people ask me why because I’m from Ohio,” Clark
explained of his following of Minnesota. “It’s because my Dad
always watched them. And, I happen to be a Warren Moon fan. I
watched him when he came to Minnesota from Houston (Oilers) and
Minnesota to Seattle. I kind of want to stay with Minnesota.”
In little loop football, Clark said he earned the name ‘Little
Moon’ and donned No. 1 on his jersey for a team his father
coached.
While he’s not on a Warren Moon-level — at least not yet — Clark
will display his athleticism and talent Sunday during quarterback
workouts starting at 11 a.m. inside Lucas Oil Stadium.
He said he will participate in all the drills, including
throwing exercises, but not the vertical jump. That decision was
made after he tweaked a hamstring in the last couple weeks.
Above all, something Clark could predetermine was his enthusiasm
for arguably the second-busiest day of a NFL prospect before the
draft.
“I’m really excited. It’s something I have been anticipating for
a while,” he said.
