Killer Instinct – Daryll Clark vs Michael Robinson

Ever since Penn State football media day in 2008 where I got the chance to talk to Daryll Clark I was impressed by him.  He had a magnetic personality.  I’d heard from players and media alike that the guy just had a certain quality that made him special, and once I met him I agreed.

Clark had a great season in 2008 that reminded a lot of people of Michael Robinson in 2005.  Their styles were very similar.  They played with emotion, they were successful.  If not for Mario Manningham and some zombie seconds Robinson would have likely had a case for a shot at a national title (he probably still wouldn’t have made it since that was the year Texas, with Vince Young, beat USC).

Clark was a bad Iowa night away from taking his team to a national championship game (probably to get demolished by Florida).

The difference in Robinson’s 2005 and Clark’s 2008 seasons were in the supporting casts.  Robinson was leading the young receivers that would help lead clark in 2008.  Now Clark is the man, and I think just about everyone would agree that he, like Robinson, is one hell of a leader.  That same charisma I saw in 2008 is back and better than before, but there is one thing Robinson had that I still haven’t seen in Clark.

What I remember from Robinson in 2005 is that he was a winner.  Now, I’m not saying Clark isn’t, but Robinson would do anything to win a game.  No matter what was happening in the game, there was a sense of calm because everyone knew he wouldn’t let Penn State lose.  He would scratch, fight, mame, and kill to get the victory.

I don’t get the same feeling from Clark.  At half time of the most recent Iowa game I was sure that if Penn State went down, it wasn’t coming back.  Clark certainly has the desire to win, and he certainly has the emotion.  The only thing missing is that killer instinct.  Instead of getting that crazy “I will not let us lose this game” look in his eye like Robinson, he just gets dramatic.

He has lost twice to the same team in the same kind of way.  He got down, made a mistake, got upset with himself, and made another.  A good leader is willing to put the burden on his shoulders, but he also has to heave it off in order carry the team.

Clark is learning how to carry a team, and I think eventually he’ll get to where Robinson was.  Neither one was able to get to a national title (I’m assuming Clark doesn’t get a chance this year, and I think I’m safe in that assumption), but Clark could win a BCS bowl just like Robinson.

~ by jthechub on October 4, 2009.