By James Parziale
With playoff hopes all but extinguished after two fourth-quarter defeats, the Pride football team’s remaining games can be a precursor to next season.
Anton Clarkson’s role may be the most pivotal as this season winds down. The sophomore started the season on the bench, but has taken the reigns from injured starter Bobby Seck.
Seck, who is out for the remainder of the year, re-injured his knee against University of Delaware Oct. 16 and his long-term health could be in question. Seck missed most of last year with knee problems and originally injured the knee Sept. 25 against the University of Rhode Island.
Now, Clarkson has the rest of the season to make his case for starter next year, and after Saturday, everyone should listen.
Clarkson threw five touchdown passes as the Pride rolled the University of Richmond Spiders, 48-17, before just 2,139 fans at James M. Shuart Stadium.
The Pride, which blew fourth-quarter in back-to-back loses to defending national champion Delaware and No. 15 New Hampshire, held the Spiders scoreless in the second half.
“We were upset at blowing two games in a row in the fourth quarter,” coach Joe Gardi said. “Our goal all week was to finish off and develop a killer instinct.”
Before the start of the fourth quarter each week, every Pride (4-4, 2-3 in Atlantic 10) player and coach puts up four fingers from each hand, as a symbol to play its best in the last 15 minutes. Clarkson, however, started a little early.
He completed 22 of 34 passes for a career-high 323 yards, and his first touchdown pass went to Brian Wolman to put the Pride up 17-7 in the second quarter. After Richmond (2-6, 2-4) tied the score at 17 at halftime, the Pride defense did its part to ensure another second-half collapse would not happen. Defensive end Dan Garay sacked Richmond quarterback Stacy Tutt, jarring the ball loose, and Garay recovered at the Spiders’ 45-yard line.
Five plays later Clarkson connected with red-shirt freshman Charles Sullivan for an 11-yard touchdown.
“I think Anton came of age and grew up. It’s nice to know you have a quarterback that can win for you. We’ve been waiting for him to do that for two years,” Gardi said of Clarkson.
After Richmond’s offense sputtered into a three-and-out, the Pride made quick work again as Clarkson engineered a four-play, 75-yard drive that was capped by a 16-yard touchdown pass to Devale Ellis, who caught seven balls – three for scores – for 168 yards. Clarkson hooked up with Ellis on the Pride’s next possession for a 27-yard touchdown, and the rout was on, 38-17.
“A big part of the win was guys responding and making big plays,” Gardi said.
Clarkson put a ribbon around his performance by completing a 70-yard pass to Ellis that made it 45-17 late in the fourth. Clarkson’s performance was eye-opening and what many around the Pride have been waiting for, but it’s only the start.
“Anton’s still got to pass another test. I’m not saying that Richmond was not a good team, but he’s got to beat a top team like a Delaware. Maine this weekend is going to be a tough test,” Gardi said.
Gardi would not comment on what next season will bring, simply saying that “Clarkson is our quarterback now.”
He also said that in order for the team to grow as a unit, they have a critical test at Maine this weekend.
“I told the team that the next step is to beat a good team,” Gardi said. “Coming close just doesn’t cut it anymore. We’re proud that we played all the teams we lost to close, but we’ve got to beat them.”