Beating OSU still on Clark’s to-do list

Scranton Edition // Scranton Edition Sports

Penn state football

November 7

By Derek Levarse dlevarse@timesleader.com
Sports Reporter

Daryll Clark wishes he could say it was all a blur. But it’s not even that.

A year later, the Penn State quarterback still can’t piece together all of the Nittany Lions’ win at Ohio State last October. A concussion knocked him out of the climactic moments of the 13-6 triumph in which Mark Rubin forced a Terrelle Pryor fumble and then-backup Pat Devlin scored on a sneak from the 1-yard line.

In other words, Clark still hasn’t checked “Beat Ohio State” off of his to-do list.

“I would say it would mean a lot,” said Clark, who will lead the Lions against the Buckeyes today at Beaver Stadium. “I mean, I feel a win is a win. But obviously you wish you could have finished the game. The circumstances didn’t allow me to do so.”

To be sure, that “a win is a win” stuff goes out the window for Clark when Ohio State is involved.

Not an hour after beating Northwestern last week, it was mentioned to Clark that he has a chance to go unbeaten against both Ohio State and Michigan as a starter. Penn State would be the first team to knock off both in consecutive seasons since 1966.

The senior unsuccessfully tried to hold back a smile at the mere mention of it. Before last season, Penn State had only topped those two schools in the same year once – that unbeaten 1994 campaign.

“Yeah, that’d be something,” said a practically giddy Clark. “The opportunity is there. A lot of people have talked to me about that after we beat Michigan and whatnot, and I kind of put it on the back burner. But now that we’re playing them, we have to do what we can to win the football game and see what happens.”

Right or wrong, this closing stretch of the season could define Clark’s legacy at Penn State.

Certainly the numbers are there. Barring an injury or a surprising collapse, Clark will leave the program holding at least five major records. The Youngstown, Ohio, native is already responsible for more touchdowns than anyone in Penn State history, totaling 57 (37 passing, 20 rushing) in less than two years as a starter. Those 20 rushing touchdowns are also tied with Michael Robinson for most ever by a Lions quarterback.

Some other notable records Clark could break in these final four contests, including the bowl game:

• Passing yards in a season. Kerry Collins threw for 2,679 in 1994. Clark is at 2,158 and needs to average just over 130 yards a game the rest of the way to pull it off.

• Passing touchdowns in a season. Todd Blackledge is the standard bearer, tossing 22 in 1982 and winning the O’Brien Award as the nation’s top quarterback. Clark is at 18.

• Passing touchdowns in a career. Surprisingly this is a three-way tie between Blackledge, Tony Sacca and Zack Mills, all of whom left Penn State with 41. Clark has 37, so five more scores would give him both TD marks at the same time.

Those are the three big ones, though Clark could also break the mark of 29 total TDs in a season that he achieved last year. He shares that record with College Hall of Fame tailback Lydell Mitchell. Clark sits at 22 total so far this season.

Still not quite Heisman numbers, but some big games down the stretch could get his name in the mix.

“Daryll Clark has been an outstanding performer for us,” coach Joe Paterno said. “It’s hard to compare. I don’t see all the other guys that people are talking about all the time. Every week it’s a new list, from what I hear. You turn on the tube to get some sleep, and there are a couple of guys up there talking about, ‘Let’s hear your Heisman Trophy list,’ and whose list is this and that.

“Where does that put (Clark) in a so-called Heisman race? I don’t know. … But he’s a heck of a football player, he’s been a great leader, great competitor, and I hope he gets his due.”

But it won’t be stats or awards or nominations that determine how much credit Clark gets.

An 11-1 finish capped off by a BCS bowl would do more for his place in Penn State history than any individual record. Clark still has his critics after losing to Iowa for two straight years and losing to USC in the Rose Bowl last season.

“I don’t pay attention to that,” Clark said. “If you fall into that trap, you’re focusing on the wrong thing. You have to focus on football and what the coaches want you to do. If you buy into that people are waiting for you to win the big game, you fall into that trap. That’s something you should not focus on.

“I haven’t done that and I don’t plan on doing that. I play for the coaches, for the football team, for the loyal fans, for my family. And that’s it.”