Robert Clark, who would have been a senior wide receiver on the University of Louisville football team, is transferring, taking his talents to Samford University.  He could be missed because he’s a talented receiver with good hands and great speed.Robert Clark 2

Clark, remember, transferred to UofL along with Gerald Christian, another wide receiver from the University of Florida in 2011. He had to sit out a year in 2012 but when he got his chance last season, he caught 25 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown in 13 games. He was clearly headed in the right direction, destined for more playing time this season.

Former UofL Coach Charlie Strong once compared Clark to Lorenzo Mauldin saying, “Mauldin is a player who goes 100 miles per hour. It doesn’t matter whether we’re in shorts or full pads, he going to go full speed. Robert Clark is the same way. He goes hard every play. If he runs 100 yards down the field, he’s going to sprint back. It’s just amazing to watch his athletic ability.”

Life in college football can be tough for players like Clark, however. Sitting out a season, making good when he finally gets his chance, only to see the coach who lured him away from Florida take a job at Texas during the player’s senior season. He has, in fact, already graduated and was ready to focus full-time on football.

But it became clear to him under new/old UofL Coach Bobby Petrino that his aspirations would never be realized and playing time would be limited, with fellow seniors Kai De La Cruz, Eli Rogers and Michaelee Harris constantly getting called before him during practice sessions.

Tough decision, transferring but there’s no joy in watching games from the bench.

One has to admire Clark for recognizing the position he was in and taking charge of his destiny. He wants to be in the game, even if that means going to a Division I-AA FCS program in Birmingham. We wish him well.

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By Charlie Springer

Charlie Springer is a former Louisville editor and sportswriter, a public affairs consultant, a UofL grad and longtime fan.

4 thoughts on “Tough decision leads Robert Clark from UofL to Samford”
  1. Good kid, with a lot of promise. Too bad we couldn’t find a place for him. Hope he does well at Samford.

  2. Back in the day, Robert would have been a star receiver. The fact that he didn’t make it is an indication of just how impressive the recruiting of Clint Hurtt was during his first couple of years. Man, I wish Clint could rejoin the staff.

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