Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/915282
10 JANUARY 2018 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED UNDER THE DOME After 17 seasons at the helm, Bobby Clark re‑ tired as head coach of the Notre Dame men's soccer program. He led the Irish to their lone national championship in 2013 and NCAA Tourna‑ ment appearances in all but one season. In 31 years as a head coach at Notre Dame, Stanford and Dartmouth, Clark complied a 369‑156‑80 mark and made 22 trips to the NCAA Tournament. BGI: What went into the decision and what made now the right time to retire? Clark: "I don't think there's ever a good time to leave, certainly not to leave Notre Dame. This has been a dream job for me and has been a lot of fun. … But I think this is, in many ways, the right time. "I remember [legendary Manchester United manager] Alex Ferguson was here a few years ago. He said you want to retire when you have the energy to do other things. That's where I am right now and will do more with Bette [his wife]." BGI: Was it something that had been in your mind before or just recently? Clark: "As you get older, you don't feel you're any older. I know you have to make that decision at some time in your life. … I kind of made the de‑ cision last June. I spoke with Jack [Swarbrick] and [associate athletics director] Beth Hunter ,and we decided that certainly as far as the season would go we would make the decision after the regu‑ lar season. "… We kept it just within Jack, Beth and I … I didn't want it to become a side‑ show throughout the year. I wanted the players to play for themselves and the uni‑ versity like we've always done." BGI: What will be the fondest memory you'll have when you look back at your career at Notre Dame? Clark: "There's a lot. It's very difficult to pick out. I think the national champi‑ onship, everyone hones in on that. But I think the big‑ gest accomplishment that year was winning the ACC championship. … I've always said winning the ACC is possibly harder than winning a national championship. It's such a strong soccer confer‑ ence. That was special. "… There have really been so many highlights throughout my 17 years. The main highlight is the players I worked with. They've been fantastic. You see all these young men go out into the real world and do really well." BGI: When you look back at when you first started at Notre Dame, did it turn out how you envisioned it? Clark: "When I came I was 55 and I thought I would be here 10 years. But I kept postponing it because I really enjoyed it. My goal was — and it was the same at Stan‑ ford — I thought we could be a national powerhouse. "We're not going to win the national championship every year … but we want to be in a position to challenge for it every year. … That's the goal of every Notre Dame team, and not just soccer." BGI: How would you like to be remembered? Clark: "You always look at someone who tried to do the job the best that he could and do it in a very positive way. … You've got to be hard work‑ ing and positive. These have been the things I'd like to be remembered for. "You hope you influence people and the game and how you control the game. The game has to be the teacher." — Corey Bodden Five Questions With … FORMER NOTRE DAME MEN'S SOCCER COACH BOBBY CLARK Houston Griffith Is A Must-Get In The Secondary By Corey Bodden Cornerback is arguably the most talked about position when it comes to Notre Dame recruiting. Landing premier players at that spot in 2018 is imperative for the Irish after striking out last cycle, and Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy Rivals100 talent Houston Griffith is near the top of that wish list. The 6‑1, 192‑pounder committed to Florida State in October, but after head coach Jimbo Fisher de‑ parted for Texas A&M in early December he de‑ cided to open up his recruitment. Notre Dame — a school Griffith visited countless times during his recruitment — could benefit from that decision. For the Irish, landing Griffith would be a major recruiting win for two reasons: he fits a big need — they have only five cornerbacks on scholar‑ ship, and all five will be entering their final year or second to last season of eli‑ gibility in 2018 — and he would become the highest‑ranked player in the class. Versatility is also a big part of Griffith's game. He can play safety, which in‑ creases his value as a prospect. Notre Dame made strides defensively in 2017 and needs to continue adding players like Griffith, who Rivals ranks as the No. 35 overall player nationally, to get to that championship‑caliber defense. Landing Griffith would hit two major marks for Notre Dame: a talented and versatile cornerback, and adding another potential difference maker to the defense. OT Nick Petit-Frere Would Be A Great Fit By David McKinney Four‑star offensive tackle Nick Petit‑Frere of Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep is a prospect Notre Dame has to land. He is an elite talent and would be a great fit. Petit‑Frere possesses all the traits on and off the field that scream Notre Dame: smart, tal‑ ented and strong character. The Irish have been in on Petit‑Frere for a long time, and losing out on him after putting in so much effort would be disappointing. Currently, Notre Dame holds commitments from three‑star tackles Cole Mabry of Brent‑ wood (Tenn.) High and John Dirksen of Maria Stein (Ohio) Marion Local. Mabry and Dirksen have bright futures, but neither is likely to make an impact early on in South Bend. Such is not the case with Petit‑Frere. The 6‑5, 265‑pound Floridian is the kind of player that can push for a starting spot early in his career, though Notre Dame's stable of offensive linemen will make that challenging. However, Petit‑Frere may just be that good. Rivals ranks him as the No. 7 offensive tackle and No. 67 overall player in the country. If Notre Dame finishes its offensive line class in 2018 with only Dirksen and Mabry, they'll be fine. But if the Irish can close on Petit‑Frere, the offensive line haul in the class of 2018 will go from decent to outstanding. Point ✦ Counterpoint: WHICH UNCOMMITTED RECRUIT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO NOTRE DAME'S 2018 CLASS? HOUSTON GRIFFITH NICK PETIT-FRERE Clark is the all-time winningest men's soccer coach in school history with 216 victories. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS