PCAA’s Player to Watch on Offense and Defense

In the Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. football media guide, way down in the last line of San Jose State’s “Players to Watch” section, is mention of a cornerback named K.C. Clark who was second on the team in tackles in 1984.

Opposing coaches have been seeing quite a bit of Clark lately--a lot more than they’d like to, as a matter of fact--but the press guide was hardly fair warning.

It didn’t even tell you the right place to look.

Cal State Fullerton had just beaten the Spartans, 20-18, dropping them to 1-4 when Coach Claude Gilbert came to the conclusion that something had to be done to revitalize his team’s running attack. Running retreat would have been a better term. After the first five games, San Jose had gained a total of 290 yards on the ground.

Gilbert changed his pro set to an option-oriented offense and replaced senior quarterback Jon Carlson (the passer) with more-mobile sophomore Doug Allen (the runner). He also took the advice of a defensive back named K.C. Clark who was always reminding everyone what a great running back he had been in high school.

“This was the only time he ever got me to listen,” Gilbert said, admitting he was desperate. “Our running backs had spent the season in a mine field and they all were adept at stepping on them.”

So he gave the 5-foot 10-inch, 180-pound junior a chance.

“He’s small, but he’s strong,” Gilbert said.

San Jose has won just one of three games since Clark became a running back, losing to unbeaten Fresno State and then Arizona before upsetting Pacific (4-4) Saturday. But Clark is averaging 85 yards a game and is just 36 yards shy of surpassing the whole team’s total in the first five outings.

Clark was named Offensive Co-Player of the Week for his 130-yard, two-touchdown performance against Pacific. And to say he’s enjoying his new status is to say Tommy Lasorda is somewhat fond of Italian food.

“I find myself scooting through the halls, dodging people,” he said. “I feel great. I feel like my old self. It’s like riding a bike.”

Clark, who also made two tackles and forced a fumble on special teams against UOP, may have to play both ways this week against Oregon because of injuries in the Spartan secondary.

“We’d like him to stay at running back,” Gilbert said, “but he’s probably going to have to prepare for defense in case of an emergency.”

Either way, Clark figures to be spending a lot of time in the defensive backfield, whether it’s the Spartans’ or the Ducks’ . . . or both.

Coping in Stockton: Pacific got off to its best start in 12 years--a modest 4-3 record but still enough to send smiles through the home of the “Big Valley.” But that was before the starring players started to drop faster than the Barkleys caught in an ambush.

Cornerback Tommy Purvis, a second-team All-PCAA selection last year, is out for the year with a neck injury. All-West Coast linebacker Nick Holt had an appendectomy and could miss all but the last one or two games. And Saturday, quarterback Hue Jackson went down with a strained neck that will keep him out for and indefinite period.

“If you told (Tiger Coach Bob) Cope that he could protect three players for the year, those would probably be the three he picked,” said Rick Weber of the Stockton Record.

Cope, of course, is trying to sound optimistic.

“We’re in a situation where we can still win, but we’re playing on a thin margin of error,” he said. “We can’t make mistakes and overcome them.

“Our talent level is thinned down enough now to the point where we cannot overcome any self-inflicted wounds.”

Undoubtedly. In fact, the Tigers may not survive the ones the other guys have been inflicting.

Cal State Fullerton Coach Gene Murphy, when a busboy dropped a handful of plates during Monday’s media luncheon: “I told you guys not to let our receivers work here.”

PCAA Notes

Fresno State strong safety Mike Stewart was named Defensive Player of the Week. He had 11 tackles and returned an interception 62 yards for a touchdown as the Bulldogs rallied to beat Utah State, 38-19, in Logan. . . . Fresno 6-0-1 is one of six Division 1 teams that remain unbeaten. . . . Pacific is tied with Ohio State in turnover ratio (plus 2.0 per game). The Tigers have led the nation in takeaways every week of the season and have 35 in eight games. . . . Fullerton quarterback Kevin Jan is still limping around campus with a knee injury that will probably require surgery in the off-season, but he is determined to be ready for the conference showdown against Fresno State Saturday. Coach Gene Murphy isn’t as sure, though, and said freshman Tony Dill is ready to go. “Tony may see action even if Kevin can go,” Murphy said. “I have a feeling the ‘Dogs will pin back their ears and go after Kevin.”