2024 Countdown to IUFB Kickoff: 42 Days (Quentin Clark)
/Written by T.J. Inman
In exactly six weeks the Indiana Hoosiers will take the field against the FIU Golden Panthers to kickoff the Curt Cignetti Era in Bloomington. With 42 days to go we look at incoming freshman linebacker Quentin Clark.
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 200 pounds
Hometown: Dexter, Georgia (West Laurens High School)
Class/Position: Freshman/Linebacker
The state of Georgia is one of the better hotbeds for talent and the Indiana Hoosiers have certainly gotten some good players from the so-called “Peach State” (South Carolina dwarfs Georgia’s but I digress). Tom Allen and his staff landed a commitment from Clark in June of 2023 and the linebacker affirmed his commitment to Curt Cignetti in December, signing with the Hoosiers on December 20.
Quentin Clark was a year-round athlete for West Laurens High School in Dexter, Georgia. He participated and excelled in track and field, basketball and weightlifting. Clark actually qualified for the state finals in the shot put as a junior after a toss of 52’8”. On the gridiron, he played on both sides of the ball and got snaps as a linebacker and running back. Clark was a top 100 recruit in the state of Georgia and rated an 88 on 247Sports, making him a high three-star prospect.
He joins a rebuilt linebacker room in Bloomington under new defensive coordinator and linebacker position coach Bryant Haines. The expected starters in 2024 are Aiden Fisher and Jailin Walker. Both are transfers from James Madison and know exactly what Haines and Curt Cignetti expect in their defense and from the linebacker positions. Beyond those two, IU returns senior Joshua Rudolph and redshirt sophomores Isaiah Jones and Kaiden Turner. The Hoosiers also added UMass transfer Nahji Logan to the fold as veteran depth. Logan is a proven and sure tackler that has a lot of experience at the FBS level. Of the linebackers in the rotation, three players will be out of eligibility after this season. Aiden Fisher figures to be a fan favorite and a leader on this defense for two seasons but there will be a major opportunity to earn snaps for the 2025 season and beyond. The expectation for this season, although Quentin Clark certainly has the athleticism to change this, is that Clark will be behind Fisher, Walker, Logan, Jones and Turner and he will see action in four games as a backup before redshirting the 2024 campaign. He would then compete for a spot in the rotation as soon as next season.
The Hoosier Huddle Countdown to Kickoff continues each and every day so be sure to check back often for the latest profile piece!