Clarke?s tip a turning point
Cornerback?s play helped set up third Ohio State score
Sunday September 4, 2011
By Tim May
The Columbus Dispatch
Dominic Clarke didn?t learn until Thursday afternoon that he would make his first career start at cornerback for Ohio State, but he approached the assignment like a veteran.
?I wanted to make plays and help us win,? Clarke said.
He did that yesterday by putting in motion the play that became the turning point of the Buckeyes? 42-0 win over Akron. With the Buckeyes holding a 14-0 lead late in the first half, Clarke leaped to tip a pass from Akron quarterback Clayton Moore intended for Marquelo Suel, who was along the sideline at the Akron 35-yard line.
Clarke didn?t come down with the ball, but Andrew Sweat did, jumping to catch it and sticking the landing just inside the field of play.
?I ran to the ball to try to assist on the tackle. It ended up deflecting upward, and I was just lucky enough to catch it,? Sweat said.
Clarke was falling as he watched Sweat make the pick.
?The footwork, I didn?t know he had it in him,? Clarke said. ?They might think about moving him to slot or something like that. That was real nice.?
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