Illini assistant Austin Clark well prepared to groom defensive line

CHAMPAIGN – If success sits at the intersection of opportunity and preparation, Austin Clark was in the right place at the right time.

Caught off guard by interest from Illini football with an opening as defensive line coach, Clark fielded a call last winter that changed his life. But, the 27-year-old native of Florida will tell you, he was more than ready for the chance.

“I’m very well prepared for this opportunity,’’ Clark said. “I’ve been a guy who had to earn what I got. I walked-on in college. I started out working for next to nothing at my alma mater. It’s like we tell the guys. If you work hard and develop, your opportunity will come. This is an opportunity that came to me.

“Preparation was the key.’’

After a six-year career slowed by injuries at California, Clark served as a graduate assistant at Southern Cal last season. Clark saw how things worked in a blueblood powerhouse. During his playing days and the first years of his coaching career, Clark was taking notes and formulating a blueprint for his future.

He stole from some of the best. USC defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast is known for his innovative schemes designed to create pressure. Clark’s also a disciple of Pete Jenkins, the former high school, college and NFL defensive assistant. Clark considers himself the next generation in the coaching tree of Jenkins, a 77-year-old who just retired from LSU.

So when Illinois defensive coordinator Hardy Nickerson called Clark to gauge interest in the position – it wasn’t on Clark’s radar – Clark relied upon his preparation in his presentation to Illini coach Lovie Smith and Nickerson.

“For the past two or three years, I took bits and pieces from every coach to put together a techniques manual,’’ Clark said. “Things that are important. Things you like. I like to think you learn something from any coach.’’

Then he came prepared for the interview.

“One thing I did in the interview is I went through the teaching progression,’’ he said. “It was a plan overall for each of the guys, what we were going to do on a day-to-day basis, including socially, academically and recruiting. That was really it. I was fortunate to get coached by great coaches and worked with great coaches. I came up the right way.’’

In an overhaul of the Illini coaching staff as Lovie heads into his third year in town, Clark is an intriguing blend of youth, determination, hard work and preparedness. He’s an underdog in a program known for the need to take risks, whether in hiring a head coach or building a staff. Nothing’s easy for the Illini, and Lovie hopes he found a rising star.

“Most of the good coaches who are older were good coaches when they were young,’’ Lovie said. “Austin can hold his own with anybody. He’s a good coach.’’

Smith said the Illini were “blown away’’ with Clark’s interview.

If there’s one mentor for Clark, it’s Jenkins, who spent most of his career at LSU. They speak regularly on the phone. His proteges are scattered throughout Division I and the NFL.

“He’s been the guy I lean on,’’ Clark said. “I talk almost weekly with him about technique and coaching philosophy. He’s mentored a lot of coaches. Coach Pendergast groomed me as a young coach. He gave me a lot of responsibilities that other young guys don’t usually get.’’

So Clark is nearing the first preseason camp as a rookie position coach. He’s got plenty of young talent on his roster. Sophomore defensive end Bobby Roundtree plus defensive tackles Verdis Brown and Calvin Avery are the best defensive line talent since the days of the Zooker.

Clark understood the importance of his position when it comes to handling the careers of three budding stars.

“To me, that’s what coaching is,’’ Clark said. “It’s our job as coaches to help guys reach their full potential. What’s encouraging here is lot of young guys played lot of football and had lot of experience. With Bobby Roundtree, you almost forget he’s going into his true sophomore year because he’s so athletic and how he does things.

“I haven’t had a chance to work with Calvin yet. He’s a big dude who can move pretty well for his size. He can be real strong for us.’’

Clark has been watching other guys develop in the offseason. Defensive end Owen Carney is doing the right things to rework his body. Defensive tackles Tymir Oliver and Jamal Milan have also obviously been working hard, and Lere Oladipo is showing big signs of making progress in the weight room that may translate into playing both defensive end and tackle.

“My style of coaching is one of accountability,’’ Clark said. “It’s being technique sound. It’s the intricate details and taking the proper steps. Hand placement. Eyes. Gap responsibility. It’s all the things talked about by the guys I worked with.’’

It’s a Monday morning when Clark could be out of town on vacation, but he’s found in his office in the Memorial Stadium complex. He’s cleaning up loose ends, preparing for the preseason camp, perhaps working on recruiting chores (he’s got northern Illinois and the Chicago suburbs, parts of California and some responsibilities in Dallas and St. Louis) and just the stuff to keep him working rather that getting some R&R.

Clark hasn’t had a chance to miss California. He never was a fan of In-N-Out Burger.

“The lines were always too long,’’ he said.

He loves living in a college town, the six-minute commute home and the opportunity he has building a defensive line with budding stars.

“I was well prepared for this,’’ Clark said.

The bright lights come on in a few weeks.