Interview: College Recruiters are getting a Head Start on 2018 California JUCO CB De’Vontaye Clark
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @HogManInLA
College coaches are already preparing for De’Vontaye Clark’s graduation from Monterey Peninsula College. When December 2017 rolls around, Clark should be a wanted man on the recruiting trail.
Clark spent a redshirt freshman season at Waylon Baptist (2015) but transferred to Cisco College in the spring of 2016. A transfer from Cisco to Monterey Peninsula has helped Clark find his home going forward. Now the 5-10, 180 pound, corner has helped his squad to a 10-1 record that included a bowl game win.
The season on the field did not go 100 percent as planned, but Clark showed enough of what he can do to start garnering attention from next level college coaches. A high ankle sprain suffered during practice limited his play at the end of the season, but in four full games being completely healthy, Clark came up with 11 tackles, four pass breakups, a forced fumble, and picked off one pass. The solid play on the field has already brought around teams like Northwestern Oklahoma State, Southern Nazarene, Florida A&M, and Alabama-Birmingham.
With Monterey Peninsula’s season wrapped up with a 28-21 bowl win over Los Medanos College, I sat down with Clark covering his season and recruitment to date.
Interview
De’Vontaye, how did the 2016 season go for you personally?
“Overall, I feel that it could have been a lot better. I became accustomed to the speed of the game and learned more about the game preparing myself for next year. Looking back, this year was about getting my feet wet. I feel like I can take off and dominate this conference next year.”
You had an injury that limited your play late in the season-
“Yeah, I missed the last three or four games with an ankle injury. The coaches did not want to rush me back.”
What happened to your ankle?
“It happened in practice. I was running down on kickoff, I redirected and one of my teammates got blocked into my leg. I ended up with a high ankle sprain. At first I thought it would be worse than what it was but it was a fast healing injury. Now my ankle is great. It does not feel like I had an ankle injury at all now.”
You got back in time to play in the Living Breath Foundation Bowl Game against Los Medanos College, how did that game go for you and the team?
“The game went great. We were excited to be there. We came out hyped. You can tell when a team is afraid to play you. We were hot out of the gate. In all phases of the game we did well. We shut it down. It was tight in the first half, I think it was 14-14. In the second half we outplayed them and won 28-21.”
When do you begin your off-season workouts and what all are you planning on working on to prepare for next season?
“I start next week. The first thing I’m working on is getting out of my brakes quicker. I’m working with teammates of mine that are sophomores to get better. I’m working on my strength too. I’m working on getting to the point where I am throwing other people around. I’m doing some freakish workouts like lifting tires up a hill, that kind of stuff. Doing other things like beach workouts, wearing a training mask, speed ladders on the beach, all that stuff. My trainer (Blair) is a former Minnesota Vikings player. I’m working with him and asking him what I should do to improve physically for next season as well.”
Which schools are showing recruiting interest in you right now?
“The schools that are showing interest in me are Northwestern Oklahoma State, Southern Nazarene, and UAB (Alabama-Birmingham). I spoke with one of Florida A&M’s coaches on Twitter a couple of days ago. He asked me about graduation date. I guess they are interested in me too.”
Have you had any coaches visit you at school yet?
“I had one today with UAB coach Randy Pippin (running backs coach). He came by to see me. We had a really good visit. We’ve been taking for a while. He asked about my grades. He was excited to see me and I was excited to see him. He said they were keeping a close eye on me. For him to come see me, that was emotional for me. We were both happy to see each other.”
Are you taking any visits during the off-season?
“I’ve talked to UAB about an unofficial. I’d like to go but I’m not sure about the date. I’m trying to set some in the spring if possible. Northwestern State, they have emailed me about visiting but I have not been able to make it. With me paying for it as an unofficial can be tough. I hope to set something up soon with some of the schools.”
Where are you with your grades?
“I’m sitting at a 3.0.”
What is your expected graduation date?
“I should be a mid-year transfer next December. I will be a mid-year transfer.”
Looking back on the 2016 season in its entirety, how do you feel about the season? You guys played really well and accomplished a lot.
“I’m really proud of my team and the things we accomplished. I had so much confidence in my teammates throughout the season. We were the most physical team out there, we had a 10-1 record, we’re conference champs, and we won a bowl game. We put in a lot of time, I feel more than any other team. I’m proud of the things this team has accomplished. We have grown as men of character over the season. We’ve grown, shinned, and grinded together. I’m excited about the next steps we will take together next season.”
De’Vontaye, thanks for your time today and good luck with your off-season workouts.
“Thank you.”
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Photo credit: Clark family; De’Vontaye Clark in the locker room.
Photo credit: Clark family; De’Vontaye Dee Clark pre-game 2016.