As the Elon University football team prepared for the season, redshirt freshman quarterback Landen Clark spent the summer competing for the starting quarterback position. The previous season, Clark had played only four games where he was occasionally used as a runner. Elon had also signed Iowa quarterback Marco Lainez through the transfer portal in December. 

Even with the inexperience and competition, Clark said he refused to let any outside noise get to him over the offseason. He set to just focus on getting better and to maintain that mindset. 

“It was just to focus on myself,” Clark said. “Don’t let anything get in my way.”

While Clark admitted that it was easier said than done at times, he said that approach helped him play well throughout training camp. This resulted in Clark winning the starting job heading into the season. 

Despite the accomplishment, Clark simply said it was a cool feeling. That was because Clark had already visualized becoming the starter and knew he did the most he could to put himself in that position.

“I had played that situation over in my head so much that I had pictured it, so it didn’t throw me off guard,” Clark said. “I told myself, ‘You know what work you’ve done and now you just got to go do it.’”

Clark’s journey to the starting quarterback position is a long way from his high school career. When Clark first started at Radford High School, he said he wanted to play defensive back or receiver. Quarterback wasn’t even considered at first, but Clark began to embrace the position over time. 

“It was my dream to play defensive back or receiver,” Clark said. “I didn’t really buy into this quarterback thing and now that’s all I got. I’ve enjoyed growing my knowledge at quarterback.”

Clark’s emergence as the starter caught the attention of coaches such as offensive coordinator Doug Martin. Martin said he was especially impressed by Clark’s ability to throw and run the football as a dual threat quarterback. He described Clark’s mobility as an opportunity toward opening up the playbook because he can use Clark in various ways. 

This season, Clark has made an impact in more ways than one. He’s led Elon to a 4-2 record which is good for third place in the Coastal Athletic Association. Elon recently won their game on Oct. 4 against Towson University. As a passer, Clark has thrown for 1,045 yards and eight touchdowns to only four interceptions. He’s especially shown the ability to make big plays with eight completions over 30 yards. 

In addition, Clark’s rushing has arguably been just as impactful. He is second on the team in yards (217) and first touchdowns (5). He’s also been named the Coastal Athletic Association’s Rookie of the Week twice so far this season.

Clark said that compared to the first game against Duke, he feels a lot more acclimated toward playing quarterback at the college level. He admitted that the speed of the game was a little bit of a surprise but now feels like he can anticipate where everyone will be on each play. 

“The speed was definitely something different, but I feel like everybody as a whole was calm,” Clark said. “I understand where guys are going to be, and now I feel like we’re starting to gel together.”

Martin said he is very impressed by Clark’s progress since being awarded the starting job. He believes Clark has continued to improve during each practice. 

“I’m telling him this is a marathon, not a sprint,” Martin said. “He’s got work to do but he’s getting better every day. He learns more and he doesn’t make the same mistakes twice.”

More importantly, Clark has established himself as a leader on the team. Martin said the players rally around him and added that as long as Clark is behind center, the offense is capable of scoring. 

“The guys believe in him,” Martin said. “We’re never out of a drive, or a game because they think he can do special things.”

Going forward, Clark said he’s confident the rapport between him and his teammates will only continue to grow as the season progresses. He thinks it’s just a matter of continuing to stack up big plays. 

“We’re going to be a whole lot more confident of each other,” Clark said. “I know they’re going to go out there and make plays, the line’s going to protect me, and everybody will do their job.”

The same can be said for the coaching staff who Clark described as super supportive. He said they’re always available to help in any way and that they will always listen whenever needed. 

“These coaches are more than just coaches,” Clark said. “They’re your friend and if you have something going on, you can go sit down in their office and talk to them. It just feels like a big brotherhood.”