Wooing begins for Hanover’s Clarke

HANOVER TWP. – One look at Brian Clarke – 6-foot-3, 285 pounds – and it’s hard to fathom that he had to be coaxed into playing football.

“I didn’t play until my ninth-grade year,” Clarke said. “My friends forced me to come out. I was big and they needed linemen, so they thought it would be good. Then I came up to varsity the following year and surprisingly started.”

Fast forward to the present where that once-reluctant freshman is now a senior and being coaxed by college football programs on all levels to join their team.

Clarke has plenty of Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) schools interested. The University of Buffalo has been a top pursuer. Penn State has recently requested more game tape. Others include Akron, Connecticut, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Rutgers – the list goes on and on.

The interest began just after Clarke was recognized as one of Pennsylvania’s top linemen when he was selected to the Associated Press Class 2A all-state second team as a junior. He starts at offensive tackle for Hanover Area, but colleges view him as either a center or guard because of his physique.

“I’d like to go to a big school,” Clarke said. “If not, a good D-II school. I just want to get out of this area, go somewhere out of state, get out of the valley.

“I like the college as a town. Pitt was nice. I went down there two weeks ago for the UConn-Pitt game and the Steelers game. I had a fun time.”

Clarke’s football career actually began before ninth grade, but it was very brief and not much fun.

“I really wasn’t into it,” Clarke said. “I played in second grade on the (Mini-Hawks) C-team. I didn’t like it at all.”

Everything changed as a ninth-grader. Clarke has always been one of the naturally big kids growing up, but he began lifting weights diligently. He transformed from a 250-pound sophomore to his current weight and can bench press 400 pounds. He has started on offense for three years and on defense for two, although he saw significant time on that side of the ball as a sophomore.

Moreover, Clarke has developed a lineman’s mentality. He knows the glory will be directed elsewhere, like to Wyoming Valley Conference leading rusher Chris Kubaugh or quarterback Eric Popovich.

Their success, Clarke believes, has been tied into what he and the other linemen do.

“It feels good because we’re linemen. We know without us the play wouldn’t have gone anywhere,” Clarke said. “Getting Chris out there or Popovich out there, it’s a whole team effort. That’s what we need.”