Colleges

Clermond answers wakeup call

A heart-to-heart talk inspires the former Chamberlain player to take a starring role at Pitt.

By GREG AUMAN
Published November 3, 2006

It was the kind of conversation a second-year coach has with an underperforming player inherited from a previous coaching staff, so Pittsburgh coach Dave Wannstedt was blunt with Joe Clermond.

"I told Joe this myself, but going into spring practice, he really was not in the plans much for this upcoming year," Wannstedt said of his junior defensive end. "He's not the biggest guy on the field, so he has to use his quickness and second effort to make plays, and that didn't happen a year ago."

The Chamberlain graduate could have seen the returning starters at his position and perhaps transferred to a smaller program where he could play more. Instead, he has surprised his coaches and even himself.

"He's the exception, rather than the norm," said Charlie Partridge, Pitt's defensive line coach. "You give him credit for not giving up when a lot of kids would have. Instead, he put his foot on the gas."

Clermond remembers Wannstedt's words as a wake-up call, and "after everything went sour for a sec," he's been a new person, a different player, an unexpected standout on a defense speckled with possible future NFL stars. He's second in the Big East with 10.5 tackles for loss and tied for the team lead with 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

"I don't know what made the light go on," Wannstedt said, "but he made up his mind he was going to do everything he could do to maximize his time here at Pitt."

For Clermond, that meant extra hours in the weight room and especially in the film room, truly embracing his position for the first time since high school.

"There was a d-line mentality I had to get," said Clermond, who left Chamberlain at 6 feet 2, 220 pounds, a strong safety ready to bulk up and play outside linebacker.

As a high school senior, he had six interceptions, but midway through his redshirt freshman season at Pitt, he was moved to defensive end. The transition didn't take at first.

"He's never shied away from being a physical player, but as a defensive lineman, you have to accept that the constant impact on every play is inevitable," Partridge said.

At 245 pounds, Clermond is now giving up 50 pounds or more to most opposing tackles, but he relies on quickness and fundamentals.

"You can beat anyone with good technique," said Clermond, who had a sack in last year's 31-17 win against USF.

Partridge said his mental progress is impressive because with each position change, Clermond has moved closer to the line of scrimmage, requiring quicker instincts.

"The closer you move to the ball, the faster everything happens," he said. "If you're out of step as a defensive lineman, you're in trouble. He's reacting faster, and he deserves a ton of credit for that."

This weekend, Clermond comes home to Tampa, hoping to crash USF's homecoming with one of his own, much like Chamberlain and Panthers teammate Greg Lee did two years ago, catching three touchdowns in a 43-14 Pitt win.

Defense has been a major part of Pitt's 6-2 start, with linebacker H.B. Blades and cornerback Darrelle Revis both touted as high NFL draft picks.

Their success was expected, much more than Clermond, who has stepped up to lead a young defensive line. Wannstedt now knows Clermond is a part of his plans, for this year and beyond.

"He's really one of those feel-good stories you like talking about," Wannstedt said. "He's having an outstanding year for us. He's second in the conference in tackles for losses, he's caused turnovers, he's gotten sacks. And we've got him for two years, so that's a good thing."

Times writer Greg Auman can be reached at auman@sptimes.com or at (813) 226-3346. Check out his USF blog at blogs.tampabay.com/usf.

The Chamberlain pipeline to bigger things

Even before he got to Pittsburgh, defensive end Joe Clermond was on a team talented enough to send multiple players into the NFL.

Clermond was a junior at Chamberlain High in 2001 when the Chiefs reached the state championship game. Three players from that team are now rookies in the NFL: Brodrick Bunkley Eagles, Oliver Hoyte (Cowboys) and Brian Clark (Broncos). Receiver Greg Lee, a teammate of Clermond's at Chamberlain and at Pitt, was cut in preseason by the Arizona Cardinals.

Clermond isn't the only Chamberlain star now shining at a new position. Hoyte, a standout linebacker at N.C. State, has successfully converted to fullback this season.

[Last modified November 3, 2006, 02:43:29]