By Ryan McCord

You’ve all seen one. The person with baggy clothing, skater shoes, a five o’clock shadow, earrings (most of the time), backwards hat (usually Dodgers, Raiders, USC, UCLA, or 49ers), shades, a necklace of some sort, backpack, wrist accessories, and don’t forget those headphones. All this complimented with that cruise-control, walk-through-the-park stroll.They are a chillin’ tortoise amongst thousands of hopped-up, dashing and multitasking hares on overdrive. This individual, of course, is the “west-coast dude,” and Hofstra senior quarterback Anton Clarkson is in a position that literally thousands of fellow California dreaming kids would love to have the opportunity he is in right now.While educators, employers, and natives of the metropolis may be pessimistic as to how someone generous, polite, and patient could actually survive in the shark-infested waters of the New York lifestyle, have clearly never met the refined Clarkson.Clarkson firmly believes he was a born leader, and that playing quarterback for a living is his destiny.”Anyone who goes to play in college that tells you they don’t have some kind of dream of playing in the NFL is lying to you,” the transfer from Oregon State explained. “I feel like I can match arms with anyone in the country, I-A or I-AA, and I’m really not afraid to go out there and say that.”Clarkson is clearly confident, and there is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. Confidence is someone who plays the cards life dealt them, while arrogance is the guy talking the big game but hasn’t even reached the poker table yet. Living 3,000-plus miles away from home and three head coaches later just to have a possible whiff at a life-long dream demands attention and respect.Pride first-year head coach Dave Cohen, who is no rookie in recognizing what it takes to follow your dreams, affirms Clarkson has what it takes. “He’s developed his leadership skills, his work ethic has improved dramatically, and his consistency is on the way up,” Cohen said. “Arm strength and presence are two things I’m really excited about.”Things have been anything but cookies and cream for Clarkson since transferring to Hofstra. He didn’t particularly care for the area to begin with, and just when it looked like he was in an offensive system that best exercised his passing talents, head coach Joe Gardi retired after last season.His perseverance has clearly been put to the test, but instead of dwelling on changing playbooks again and starting from scratch with a new coaching staff, he was clever enough to realize the more football minds he can pick at, the better off his football IQ will be.”Coach Dennis Erickson helped bring the intensity out in me. Coach Gardi taught me that I didn’t have to win the game by myself. And Coach Cohen is another intense guy that I like playing for,” Clarkson explained. “If he can’t be on the field with us, then you want to represent him the best you can while you’re out there.”The 2005 Atlantic-10 conference third-team performer was also quick to point out the particular influence Cohen’s young staff, which is more relatable socially than that of Gardi’s, especially with the atmosphere offensive coordinator John Perry, brings to the table.

Perry made it clear to Clarkson and the rest of the offense that it’s okay to have fun, and that college is about developing the individual’s character, and being yourself. This has made things more enjoyable to the leader in the huddle and should translate into a successful season for the Pride offense, which is still just a spark plug or two away from all the wheels rolling in motion.Speaking of spark plugs, the interdisciplinary major doesn’t hesitate to address the other trade that he is skilled in. And if the gas price on his football career does indeed become out of his price range down the road?”I’d be fixing cars in East L.A.,” Clarkson said with his head down.Just remember Anton, the Detmer brothers were once labeled NFL veterans, and pigs still aren’t flying.