I conducted this interview in the car on my way to the Tulane-LSU game, so it might not be as thorough as some others I have done, but Tulane is very interested in Marist (Ga.) OT Charlie Clark, who is under the radar nationally but fits what Willie Fritz and his staff want to do.
Here's what he said. His answer about the facility upgrades being planned was by far the most interesting thing he said.
When did you visit Tulane?
“It was the 23rd, so that was a Saturday. It went very well. I had already been looking at Tulane as a student, but I hadn’t really heard anything from their last staff, and when I got offered by Georgia Southern, that really kind of sparked an interest from them. I loved coach Fritz and his staff and coach (Alex) Atkins and their facilities. They showed us their basketball ones, which we’ve done, and the football ones will be done soon. The campus was great. I like what they are doing there on offense and the kind of offense they are bringing over from Georgia Southern.
What other schools are you interested in?
“My top three are probably Tulane and Georgia Southern and then Florida Atlantic?”
Do you see yourself as a guard or a tackle at the college level?
“It’s kind of half and half. Right now I play tackle, and coach Atkins said they offered me at tackle, but Georgia Southern’s offer is at guard and some people want me to play center, too. I’m all over the board here.”
What do you like about the Tulane coaches?
“I would say they really know what they’re doing. They run a tight ship. They are really knowledgeable. I’ve heard from a lot of people that they’re good coaches and they really know what they’re talking about. They’ve turned a lot of programs around, and they have a plan in place I think is going to be really good. They just know what they’re doing.”
With the coaches’ history, do you think they will at Tulane pretty quickly?
“Definitely, yeah. I watched them a lot when they were at Georgia Southern when they just took a wishbone team and turned them into a winning machine. I think they are going to do really well at Tulane. They have their first game at Wake Forest and are like 18-point underdogs, but that’s kind of off in my opinion.”
Where is Marist, Ga., your hometown?
“It’s kind of North Atlanta. Marist is in DeKalb County.”
When do you expect to make a decision?
“I’m definitely going to make it before the season, but I really have tried to think about but I’m not sure. It will be sometime this summer probably.”
Do you anticipate any other school getting into the mix?
“I’ve got some other FCS offers, but I’m really looking to FBS. I’ve done ACC schools like Wake Forest and Georgia Tech, but even if they offer me, I don’t know. I would really have to think about it.”
How long have you started?
“As a sophomore I was a backup to Sage Hardin, who now plays at Georgia. That was my first year starting last year.”
Is that a reason you’re not rated by Rivals.com?
“I think I’m really unknown by all the services. I don’t know why I’m kind of really unknown.”
What is your best asset on the football field?
“Definitely my run blocking. If you watch my tape, I’m really just coming out of my four-point stance because we run triple option. I’m not as big as most D1 recruits, but I have some speed and agility, too.”
You list yourself at 6-4, 270 on your Hudl page. Is that accurate?
“Yes.”
Have you taken a visit to FAU yet?
“No. I’ve been to Georgia Southern a couple of times.”
Here's what he said. His answer about the facility upgrades being planned was by far the most interesting thing he said.
When did you visit Tulane?
“It was the 23rd, so that was a Saturday. It went very well. I had already been looking at Tulane as a student, but I hadn’t really heard anything from their last staff, and when I got offered by Georgia Southern, that really kind of sparked an interest from them. I loved coach Fritz and his staff and coach (Alex) Atkins and their facilities. They showed us their basketball ones, which we’ve done, and the football ones will be done soon. The campus was great. I like what they are doing there on offense and the kind of offense they are bringing over from Georgia Southern.
What other schools are you interested in?
“My top three are probably Tulane and Georgia Southern and then Florida Atlantic?”
Do you see yourself as a guard or a tackle at the college level?
“It’s kind of half and half. Right now I play tackle, and coach Atkins said they offered me at tackle, but Georgia Southern’s offer is at guard and some people want me to play center, too. I’m all over the board here.”
What do you like about the Tulane coaches?
“I would say they really know what they’re doing. They run a tight ship. They are really knowledgeable. I’ve heard from a lot of people that they’re good coaches and they really know what they’re talking about. They’ve turned a lot of programs around, and they have a plan in place I think is going to be really good. They just know what they’re doing.”
With the coaches’ history, do you think they will at Tulane pretty quickly?
“Definitely, yeah. I watched them a lot when they were at Georgia Southern when they just took a wishbone team and turned them into a winning machine. I think they are going to do really well at Tulane. They have their first game at Wake Forest and are like 18-point underdogs, but that’s kind of off in my opinion.”
Where is Marist, Ga., your hometown?
“It’s kind of North Atlanta. Marist is in DeKalb County.”
When do you expect to make a decision?
“I’m definitely going to make it before the season, but I really have tried to think about but I’m not sure. It will be sometime this summer probably.”
Do you anticipate any other school getting into the mix?
“I’ve got some other FCS offers, but I’m really looking to FBS. I’ve done ACC schools like Wake Forest and Georgia Tech, but even if they offer me, I don’t know. I would really have to think about it.”
How long have you started?
“As a sophomore I was a backup to Sage Hardin, who now plays at Georgia. That was my first year starting last year.”
Is that a reason you’re not rated by Rivals.com?
“I think I’m really unknown by all the services. I don’t know why I’m kind of really unknown.”
What is your best asset on the football field?
“Definitely my run blocking. If you watch my tape, I’m really just coming out of my four-point stance because we run triple option. I’m not as big as most D1 recruits, but I have some speed and agility, too.”
You list yourself at 6-4, 270 on your Hudl page. Is that accurate?
“Yes.”
Have you taken a visit to FAU yet?
“No. I’ve been to Georgia Southern a couple of times.”