Listed Measurements: 6-foot-2, 210 pounds.2019-20 year, eligibility: A freshman, Clark has all four seasons of eligibility remaining, including 2019.Depth chart: No matter how rough of a Blue-Gold Game sophomore Phil Jurkovec had, he remains the backup to senior Ian Book, relegating Clark to the third-string unless he puts together a perfect preseason.
Recruiting: Originally a Wake Forest commit, the consensus three-star prospect wavered when Cade McNamara decommitted from Notre Dame. The No. 19 pro-style quarterback in the class, per rivals.com, Clark narrowed his post-Deacons decision to the Irish, Clemson and North Carolina.
WHAT WAS SAID WHEN CLARK’S NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT ARRIVED
“Clark may never be Notre Dame’s quarterback of the future, but the same could have been said of its current starting quarterback leading the way into the College Football Playoff. Clark does fit into the mold of both junior Ian Book and freshman Phil Jurkovec in that he is a pass-first quarterback, most comfortable working from the pocket, but by no means is he limited to surviving between the tackles. Clark is mobile, and with time should improve his accuracy on the run.”
2019 OUTLOOK
If the Irish coaching staff has its way, Jurkovec will clean up his rhythm in the preseason, assuaging concerns about him being one snap from action, and Clark will thus spend the year on the scout team. That would not inherently mean Clark never takes the field this season. Just as Jurkovec appeared in two games of mop-up duty in 2018, Clark could do so up to four times before costing himself a year of eligibility.
Of course, if Jurkovec is the Notre Dame backup, it would make sense to first get him work when able; that is even more of a necessity when the No. 2 quarterback has not yet completed a collegiate pass, which could in turn minimize Clark’s action.
Lacing up the Golden Glove to match his golden arm is @bren_clark17.
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 19, 2018
The Virginia native is as tough as they come and knows how to lead an offense to victory. #GoIrish ☘️ #FightClub19 pic.twitter.com/u7QHOCjoj1
DOWN THE ROAD
It is not meant as an overt knock on Clark to say he “may never be Notre Dame’s quarterback of the future.” It is rather a reflection of a consensus three-star being sandwiched between four-star passers in Jurkovec and class of 2020 commit Drew Pyne (New Canaan High School; Conn.). For now, Clark can look at the current Irish starter for reason to believe future projections are made to be disproven.
That “for now” designation could go out the window in just a few months. If Book parlays a second impressive season into a leap to the NFL, then Clark could become 2020’s backup, the most popular player on in the public’s eye, always one snap away from taking every snap.
In preparation for that, Clark’s scout team work in the interim should focus on developing the mechanics Jurkovec did not show in the spring. Book has shown the heights Notre Dame’s offense can reach simply by relying on a quarterback’s accuracy. Mimicking that should be Clark’s initial focus.
NOTRE DAME 99-to-2:
Introduction
No. 95: Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, defensive tackle
No. 94: Isaiah Foskey, freshman defensive end, consensus four-star
No. 94: Darnell Ewell, defensive tackle
No. 91: Ade Ogundeji, defensive end
No. 90: Hunter Spears, defensive tackle, early-enrolled consensus four-star
No. 89: Brock Wright, tight end
No. 88: Javon McKinley, receiver
No. 87: Michael Young, receiver
No. 85: George Takacs, tight end
No. 84: Cole Kmet, tight end
No. 83: Chase Claypool, receiver
No. 80: Micah Jones, receiver
No. 78: Tommy Kraemer, right guard, three-year starter
No. 77: Quinn Carroll, offensive tackle, early-enrolled consensus four-star
No. 76: Dillan Gibbons, offensive guard
No. 75: Josh Lugg, offensive lineman
No. 74: Liam Eichenberg, left tackle, two-year starter
No. 73: Andrew Kristofic, offensive tackle, early-enrolled consensus four-star
No. 72: Robert Hainsey, offensive tackle, three-year starter
No. 71: John Olmstead, offensive lineman, early-enrolled consensus four-star
No. 69: Aaron Banks, left guard
No. 60: Cole Mabry, offensive tackle
No. 57: Trevor Ruhland, veteran backup offensive lineman
No. 57: Jayson Ademilola, defensive tackle
No. 56: John Dirksen, offensive lineman
No. 56: Howard Cross, incoming freshman defensive lineman, consensus four-star
No. 55: Jarrett Patterson, starting center
No. 55: Ja’Mion Franklin, defensive tackle returning from injury
No. 54: Jacob Lacey, consensus four-star defensive tackle, early enrollee
No. 54: John Shannon, long snapper
No. 53: Khalid Kareem, senior defensive end
No. 52: Zeke Correll, consensus four-star center, early enrollee
No. 52: Bo Bauer, linebacker, sophomore
No. 47: Kofi Wardlow, junior defensive end
No. 45: Jonathan Jones, senior inside linebacker
No. 44: Jamir Jones, senior defensive end
No. 42: Julian Okwara, senior defensive end
No. 41: Kurt Hinish, junior defensive tackle
No. 40: Drew White, junior inside linebacker
No. 39: Jonathan Doerer, junior kicker
No. 35: TaRiq Bracy, sophomore cornerback
No. 35: Marist Liufau, Hawaiian freshman linebacker
No. 34: Jahmir Smith, sophomore running back
No. 34: Osita Ekwonu, inside linebacker, consensus four-star
No. 33: Shayne Simon, sophomore linebacker
No. 31: Jack Lamb, sophomore linebacker
No. 30: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, junior linebacker
No. 29: Ovie Oghoufo, sophomore linebacker-turned-defensive end
No. 27: J.D. Bertrand, consensus four-star linebacker
No. 25: Braden Lenzy, speedy sophomore receiver
No. 24: Tommy Tremble, sophomore tight end
No. 24: Jack Kiser, early-enrolled freshman linebacker, Mr. Indiana Football
No. 23: Litchfield Ajavon, four-star safety, freshman
No. 23: Kyren Williams, early-enrolled freshman running back
No. 22: Kendall Abdur-Rahman, quarterback-turned-receiver, freshman
No. 22: Asmar Bilal, the only returning starting linebacker
No. 21: Jalen Elliott, three-year starting safety
No. 20: Shaun Crawford, defensive back returning from yet another injury
No. 20: C’Bo Flemister, sophomore running back
No. 19: Jay Bramblett, freshman punter
No. 19: Justin Ademilola, sophomore defensive end
No. 18: Joe Wilkins, sophomore receiver
No. 18: Nana Osafo-Mensah, freshman defensive end, consensus four-star
No. 17: Isaiah Robertson, junior receiver
No. 16: K.J. Wallace, freshman defensive back, three-star
No. 15 Isaiah Rutherford, freshman defensive back, consensus four-star
No. 15: Phil Jurkovec, sophomore quarterback
No. 14: Kyle Hamilton, freshman safety, consensus four-star
No. 13: Lawrence Keys, sophomore receiver
No. 13: Paul Moala, sophomore safety-turned-linebacker
No. 12: DJ Brown, sophomore cornerback-turned-safety
No. 12: Ian Book, starting quarterback
No. 11: Alohi Gilman, senior safety
No. 10: Chris Finke, fifth-year receiver, second-year starter
No. 9: Cam Hart, freshman receiver
No. 9: Daelin Hayes, senior defensive end
No. 8: Donte Vaughn, senior cornerback
No. 8: Jafar Armstrong, starting running back, junior