Arizona State commit Jordan Clark: LB coach Antonio Pierce is 'like my uncle'

Logan Newman, USA TODAY High School Sports | High School Sports

Herm Edwards is charismatic. He always as something to say.

As Arizona State cornerback commit Jordan Clark said, he's unpredictable.

"What is Coach Herm like?" Clark said with a laugh. "He's loud, he's excited, he's passionate about what he does - especially about football - and I love that."

Clark, a four-star athlete out of University Lab School (Baton Rouge, La.), committed to ASU on Tuesday. He's part of the first recruiting class put together by first-year head coach Edwards and staff.

But as much as Edwards' demeanor made Clark want to be part of the Sun Devil team, his a longtime connection with linebackers coach Antonio Pierce was more impactful.

Pierce played on the Washington Redskins with the young cornerback's dad, Ryan Clark, in 2004.

Jordan Clark said Pierce became like family.

"He's like my uncle," Clark said. "He'd just come by the house whenever he could. My dad would go visit him. It was just family, you know what I'm saying, just normal family stuff."

Pierce became ASU's recruiting director in addition to his linebacker duties in September.

Clark's unofficial visit in the spring was just another trip to Arizona. As a kid, he would often travel with his dad to Scottsdale for training over the summers, so he's comfortable in the Phoenix area.

Edwards, who worked with Ryan Clark at ESPN before becoming head coach, welcomed the family to Tempe with a cry of "Young man!" toward Jordan Clark and a hug for the father.

ASU offered the young cornerback during that trip.

The team's defense has taken a turn under the new coaching staff after struggling with tackling over the last couple seasons. After allowing at least 30 points in all but three games last year, no Sun Devil opponent has reached the 30-point mark this season. Clark could be a strong corner opposite Chase Lucas, a redshirt sophomore who made the Pac-12 Second Team last year.

His commitment to ASU will unite him with a football mind he's known his whole life in Pierce and a head coach who he's heard plenty about from his dad's time in the studio.

"I have a good deal of trust in a lot of the men on the staff," Clark said. "People I'm OK with yelling at me for the next couple years."

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