Perspectives on the selection of Frank Clark

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY SportsThe time is 2013. Notre Dame at Michigan. Biggest game of the year. Third and three. A short distance conversion, so the Fighting Irish go on with 12 personnel, stacking the tight ends to the left side. Everybody's expecting a run, but the Wolverines go with four down linemen. So the quarterback takes the snap and swivels it out left to the running back, who takes two steps- no, three steps before his legs are grabbed and tripped by #57. Literally two seconds off the ball and BAM! he's dropped. How often does a running play get stopped short on a third and three?! Against Notre Dame, no less? The crowd goes nuts. Surely there was some miscommunication or misread of the defense for that big of a blunder. But it did happen, and it was Frank Clark who made it happen. It was Frank Clark, at 6'2, 270 pounds, who manages to bull rushes the right tackle's block and makes the stop with his knees from a four point stance. It was Frank Clark, who came to Michigan as a tight end and linebacker, that learned to take advantage of his natural burst and athleticism and gained sixty pounds without losing any speed.

…