James Clark has done the two things that are required to be a starter for Justin Fuente, be consistent in practice and earn Fuente's trust. Clark brings plenty of veteran experience having played on special teams while at Ohio State. Though Clark wasn't a return man for the Buckeyes, Clark should bring experience and understanding of what his blockers should be doing to create holes for him. More than anything else, Clark has the type of elite speed that coaches dream of their kick returner having. We saw Virginia Tech's kick returns improve significantly when Henri Murphy took over last season. The numbers speak for themselves with the change as Murphy averaged 5.9 more yards per kick return than Greg Stroman. Stroman is fairly quick in his own right but Murphy is one of the ACC's fastest players, and that speed made a significant difference. Now, the Hokies have a more experienced, possibly faster version of Murphy in James Clark who should be able to make smarter decisions on which holes to take. That combination of skills shows Clark's potential to be dynamic on kick returns with the potential to get through holes before an opposing kick coverage player can fill it. Obviously, Clark has a lot to prove as someone who has never returned a kick at the collegiate level. However, Clark has the tools to become an effective kick returner and has shown the consistency that Justin Fuente is looking for. Entering this season, Clark has the biggest role of his collegiate career as a return man and a backup receiver. Clark should have the opportunities to surpass his 2016 stats of 6 receptions and 47 yards in an offense that will be looking to have a deeper rotation of wide receivers this year. When James Clark chose to transfer the Hokies, it took around nine days for the news to go from Florida to Blacksburg. Months after his decision, Clark now has the chance to make some news and flip a game's momentum in under nine seconds. [amazon_link asins='B0000DBO7W,B00V89S59K,B00IU0U8B8,B00IZNJ0X2,B00DTW1B9U,B000VJRTD6,B006RKVD9Y,B01MU74MFD' template='ProductGrid' store='techlunchpail-20' marketplace='US' link_id='22a2db53-8dd8-11e7-96aa-d550621f65be']“Well, he’s really fast. He is a senior, he’s an older guy. Kind of like Mook [Reynolds], he’s an older guy and a trustworthy guy. We feel good about both of those guys. James [Clark] has been consistent throughout practice, that's what we talk about all the time at all of our positions. Every day at practice is an audition to earn your teammates and coaches' trust, and every day at practice you either add to that trust or you take away from that trust. Our time with James, he’s added to that trust.” - Fuente on James Clark (August 28th)
James Clark Has Found a Role as a Kick Returner and Backup Receiver
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