Friday, September 19, 2008
By John Kovach
The former Ursuline High quarterback has helped the Nittany Lions start 3-0.
Growing more confident and comfortable with each game as the starting Penn State quarterback, senior Daryll Clark from Ursuline High is hoping for his best game of the season Saturday in front of family and friends.
The undefeated and No. 16-ranked Nittany Lions (3-0) play host to Temple (1-2) in the 38th meeting with the Owls starting at noon in State College’s Beaver Stadium before a sellout crowd of 107,000 and a Big Ten Network television audience. Penn State leads the series, 33-3-1.
“My family is coming and my friends are coming out for the Temple game,” said Clark, who combined with two other quarterbacks for 344 passing yards last Saturday to help Penn State roll at Syracuse, 55-13.
Clark completed 10 of 21 passes for 163 yards and the first two TDs of the game and no interceptions.
“My parents [Daryll and Sheryl Clark] come to every single game,” Clark said. “As a matter of fact, my dad came to the Syracuse game. I have a fan base that comes to the games.
“Chester Leone [former athletic director at The Rayen School] is always at the game, so there also is [additional] support there. He usually accompanies the players at Ursuline who are being recruited and visiting Penn State. Chester is the one who brings them up.
“A lot of my Ursuline teammates are away at school so they can’t come to the games.”
Clark, who has two brothers, Keith and Darnell, said UHS junior Jamel Turner will be visiting to see the Illinois game (8 p.m. Sept. 28).
“I won’t have time to see him unless he stays afterward. And it also depends on the mood I am in, whether we win or lose. Usually after the game, I try to spend time with the incoming recruits, about 15-20 minutes,” said Clark, a telecommunications major with almost a 3.0 grade-point average. He will graduate in December.
Clark believes he is overcoming two of his biggest challenges.
He wants to stay confident, positive and relaxed while in the game, and he wants to become a passing quarterback first before being a running quarterback.
“The biggest challenge I have faced is calming myself down before the game. I remember my first game, I was so nervous it was ridiculous,” Clark said. “You want everything good to happen and nothing bad. But once the first pass is completed, the nerves calm down. It’s important to develop a rhythm each game to give you confidence.”
He believes he finally has found it.
“I have reached that point where my confidence level there is very high. That we are having success, that the running backs are doing well, that the defense is playing well and everything is going real well also has helped me,” he said.
Clark said he believes his performance in last year’s Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29 against Texas A&M as a backup to quarterback Anthony Morelli was the start of his journey to self-confidence. He rushed for 50 yards in six carries, including an 11-yard TD dash that helped tie the game at 14-14. The Nittany Lions went on to a 24-17 win.
He said his progress continued in the 2008 spring practice, which gave him a strong foundation for this season.
“What I wanted to work on was throwing the ball, and I was able to do that and show that in spring practice,” Clark said. “People said that I am a runner but I wanted to show that I am a passer before a runner. I only want to run if I have to. ”
Clark doesn’t mind that backup Pat Devlin and third-stringer Paul Cianciolo are getting into games and also doing well because it gives the team insurance.
Devlin is 10-for-21 for 163 yards and two TDs (both against Syracuse), while Cianciolo is 5-for-8 for 82 yards and two TDs (one versus Syracuse).
“It helps the team. God forbid I get hurt and one of them will have to step in, so they need to get the experience and the reps in case they are thrown into the fire,” Clark said. “All three quarterbacks are capable of getting the job done and showed that last week against Syracuse.”
Clark said the season is young and the team is just getting started.
“We haven’t done anything yet. We won three games,” he said. “People tell you how good you are but the coaches try to keep you grounded and to stay focused with a [realistic] mindset that you have to take one game at a time.”
kovach@vindy.com