As much as both coaches and players alike have several ways to communicate during the recruiting process, suffice it to say that the most effective method is the in-person one. Georgia State defensive lineman transfer Jeffrey Clark certainly enjoyed getting to know the ASU coaches prior to his official visit last weekend. Yet, seeing the Sun Devil staff in Tempe, as well as an old high school teammate he could reunite with on the front four, has given Clark an even stronger perspective of the Arizona State program.
“(Head) Coach Dillingham and his personality stood out to me on the visit,” Clark said, “He’s definitely my type of guy and the type of coach I want to play for. Same with the D-tackle coach Vince Amey. He’s an alumni, and he’s very passionate about Arizona State football. Those two coaches and (defensive coordinator) coach Brian Ward; those are all my type of guys. I love their personalities, and are guys that I would definitely want to play for and go to war with. They’re all about football, and they don’t beat around the bush because they get straight to the point.
“I haven’t really been on visits before. So, I didn’t know what to expect and didn’t walk in there with any expectations. The only thing I expected was to feel is wanted, and I felt like they really wanted me there, and they definitely made me feel that way. I know Arizona State has great academics and a great business program, and I was looking to get my MBA for my master’s degree.”
Last season the 6-foot-0 and 275-pound Clark paced Georgia State with 9.5 tackles for loss, including 4.5 sacks. His versatility is one trait he mentioned as being very appealing to the Sun Devil staff. “I liked how they studied a lot of my film, and you could tell that they studied me a lot because they were looking at film from even two years ago,” Clark described. “That showed that they knew a lot about me and have a lot of interest in me. They showed me how I can fit into their scheme and move me all over the place to make plays.
“The coaches think I could definitely help in the pass rushing department,” I can help contribute against Heisman candidates that Arizona State is playing this year with Michael Penix and Bo Nix and also Caleb Williams, the Heisman winner in 2022. They mainly see me as an inside lineman (3-technique), but they told me that with my skill set, they can move to the outside too.”
Clark said that coming from Atlanta, he did appreciate the big city feel that the Phoenix Metropolitan had to offer, contributing to the lively feel surrounding Tempe and the ASU campus.
“I was told that the Phoenix is a city of people where they come to retire,” Clark remarked, “and people just love to come here and live life. I also heard that a lot of NBA and NFL players come there during the offseason to train there. So, this is just a great place to be and a nice city feeling.”
And seeing a familiar face in current Sun Devil defensive lineman BJ Green, his former teammate for two years at Powder Spring (Ga.) McEachern High School naturally only added to the positive vibe of Clark’s time in Tempe.
“BJ was definitely a big factor in me coming to visit there,” Clark admitted. “I’ve talked to BJ multiple times since Arizona State offered me, and he put in a good word for me which has been very helpful. He was helping me around the city during the visit getting me adjusted because we’re both from Georgia, and he was making me feel very comfortable there.
“He told me that he adjusted very well and that coach Dillingham and the new coaches made all the players feel like family right away. Everybody feels very comfortable there; BJ’s family has moved down there (to the Phoenix area). So, I see that BJ has adjusted well, and he told me that with the time difference and everything, it’s gonna be a quick adjustment because it’s a big city, just like Atlanta.”
The lineman, who has two years of eligibility remaining and visited Louisville prior to ASU, confirmed that those are the only two programs that he is focused on ahead of an anticipated decision this coming weekend. He admitted that he has a hard decision to make between both schools, yet he knows what criteria he will use when committing.
“Playing time, of course, that’s the ultimate factor,” Clark noted. “I have to be able to play for coaches that are willing to coach me and actually develop me because I still got two more years left, and I’m trying to play to the best of my ability. It seems like coaches from both schools are trying to do that, and It’s just up to me to make a decision.”
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