QB Coach | Experts Don't Realize What Notre Dame Has In Brendon Clark
Nobody needed to ask Malcolm Bell what he thinks the transfer of Phil Jurkovec could mean for Brendon Clark.
Jurkovec’s departure leaves a void behind Ian Book at backup quarterback for Notre Dame and it’s a void Clark will likely be asked to fill as he’ll try to compete with both Book and Drew Pyne, who arrived as an early enrollee over the weekend.
Clark has worked with Bell, a consultant for Undefeated Quarterback Training, since high school. When the Jurkovec news dropped, Bell made it clear he sees great things in his pupil’s future.
Bell’s style may be a little different than Clark’s.
“He has never been the kid to self-promote,” said Bell. “He was never like that in high school and it’s the same now. He doesn’t even have a Twitter. He didn’t camp a lot in high school.”
Initially committed to Wake Forest, Clark jumped into the national recruiting conversation late and ultimately settled on Notre Dame over offers from North Carolina and Clemson. Performances at the Elite 11 camps later in his prep career helped propel his profile, but overall, Clark didn’t hit a ton of events, which is one reason why Bell believes he was overlooked by many of the “experts.”
“They haven’t seen enough of him and I think that’s just the difference between those quarterbacks who are usually at a high level these days,” Bell explained.
“A lot of people have had eyes on (the highly-ranked quarterbacks). They can really give a good read because they’ve seen them a lot. I think that’s where he’s kind of been overlooked.”
What have they missed in their evaluations of Clark?
“They don’t realize that he is a fluid athlete,” said Bell. “He’s a very good athlete. He has great feet. There aren’t many throws that he can’t make. I’ve seen a couple things where he can get better mechanically, but I think any quarterback should always be looking to get better at something. But I do think he can make all of the throws.
“His feet are fine, he always has a solid base when he’s making throws. His off-platform, off-posture throws are pretty good. I just think he’s the total package and Notre Dame is actually really lucky to have him. I’m excited to actually see where he can go after getting quality reps in the spring.”
The new redshirt rule allowed Clark the chance to appear in mop-up duty in three games as a freshman, but 2019 really gave him the chance to get used to the college atmosphere
“It gave him an opportunity to adjust to college and it gave him a chance to adjust mentally,” Bell said. “Being a starting quarterback at your school from age 14, it’s kind of a culture shock when you’re not really the man when you get there. You’ve got to try to learn new ways.
“I think he handled that really, really well, especially winning Scout Team Player of the Year for Notre Dame. I think it’s a testament to his work ethic and willingness to get better no matter the situation. I think that’s what’s made him better. He’s always been a humble kid, but if there was a point where after his senior season he felt ‘I should be given something,’ it’s humbled him in a way where he’s appreciative of the opportunity. I think he’s ready for the challenge ahead.”
And now Clark will have to be ready for a new role, although he may not see a major difference.
“From the day I met him to what I’ve heard since he’s been at Notre Dame, he just keeps that mindset of preparing to be the starter,” said Bell. “He knows how to win. He knows how to be a starter, how to carry yourself on and off the field. It won’t be a big thing for him because he’s an even-keeled kind of kid. If he was the starter, he’d act the same way. If he was the backup, he’d act the same way. I don’t think it’ll be too big of a thing for him.
“We talked…about it. It’s, ‘It doesn’t really matter. I’ve got to keep working. I was competing for a spot in the spring anyway, so this really doesn’t change anything.’ I think he’s kind of just in drive mode right now, where he’s got a tunnel vision. He’s not really worried about what’s around him, he’s just trying to get somewhere.”