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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend October 27, 2005 Crater linebacker Cody Clark, right, has made it onto the watch lists for Division I programs with his physical style of play. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Hit parade comes to Crater By Don Hunt Mail Tribune CENTRAL POINT — Cody Clark first raised some eyebrows during his freshman year at Crater High when he advanced to the Class 4A state wrestling tournament. Back then, football was pretty much a hobby to Clark, something to occupy his time during the autumn months. But when John Beck took over as the Comets’ head football coach prior to the start of the 2004 season, things changed. Beck convinced Clark that he could become a major college recruit in football just as he would become in wrestling. A little more than one year later, that scenario is playing out. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Clark is having a monster season at linebacker for the Comets, and Division I schools such as Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford and Utah are taking note. Clark, who carries good grades in the classroom, has also been getting letters from Harvard of the Ivy League. Advertisement "He’s the most physical linebacker I’ve seen in my eight years at South Medford," says Panthers coach Bill Singler of Clark, who delivered a slew of bone-jarring hits when the two teams met on Sept. 23. "He really laid the pads to our backs. You could hear the ‘oohs’ and the ‘ahhs’ from the crowd." Clark may not get the recognition he deserves on the all-state ballots if the Comets, who stand 4-4 overall and 1-3 in the Southern Oregon Conference heading into Friday’s game at Grants Pass, don’t advance to the playoffs. But anyone who has seen Clark play this season knows that he’s something special. "I don’t think it matters too much how many awards he wins because what college recruiters look at more than anything is film, and film doesn’t lie," says Beck. "Cody’s an impact player who’s going to get bigger, stronger and faster. This is the first year that he’s truly tapped into his potential." Clark, a two-time district champion and three-time state placer in wrestling, says his interest and commitment to football took a big upswing when Beck, who led North Medford to a state runner-up finish in 2003, inherited the Crater program. Clark earned honorable mention all-conference honors at both linebacker and tight end following the 2004 season, then attended several camps in the offseason and participated in summer passing league games. "Just being in this program the past two years or so has made me a lot better fundamentally," says Clark, a quiet leader of the team. "There were so many things to learn. I was probably thinking too much last season. Now I’ve got a good grasp of what to do in this system, and I’m just reacting and letting my instincts take over." Those instincts are playing havoc with the opposition. Clark has had 10 or more tackles in six of Crater’s eight games, including a season-high 16 in the game against South Medford. The Comets lost that night, 21-14 in overtime, but Clark’s slobber-knocking hits — including one tackle that knocked the helmet off a Panther running back — didn’t go unnoticed. North Medford coach Rod Rumrey, whose team met the Comets the following week, watched film of the South-Crater game. "I would think that that film alone would get Cody a scholarship to just about any Division I school," says Rumrey. "After our players saw it, we didn’t have to say anything about the importance of putting some pads on that guy." Clark shrugs off the performance, saying it would have meant more had his team won. "But it was fun," he acknowledges. "It seemed like I never really got blocked that game. I was able to get some pretty good runs at their backs." Despite his memorable senior season on the gridiron, Clark hasn’t decided whether he wants to play football or wrestle in college. Oregon and Oregon State are almost certain to offer him wrestling scholarships during an early signing period in November. The football signing date isn’t until February. "There are a lot of factors I’m going to have to look at," he says, "and money will definitely play a part. But right now, I’m still undecided on which sport I’ll play in college." Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail Hit parade comes to Crater ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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