University
In Memoriam: Monte Clark, 72
- Monte Clark played right tackle for the Trojans.
September 17, 2009 12:38 PM
Monte Clark, the co-captain of the 1958 USC football team who later played and coached in the National Football League, including serving as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions, died on Sept. 16 in Detroit, Mich., after an extended illness with a bone marrow malignancy associated with lung and liver disease. He was 72.
Clark lettered at USC for three seasons (1956-58) as a right tackle out of Kingsburg (Calif.) High. The 1956 squad went 8-2, defeating UCLA and Notre Dame.
He was a fourth-round pick in the 1959 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He spent 11 seasons as an NFL defensive and offensive tackle: three with San Francisco (1959-61), one with the Dallas Cowboys (1962); and seven with the Cleveland Browns (1963-69). He was a member of the Browns’ 1964 NFL championship squad. He blocked for Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown during his last three seasons with the Browns.
Clark began his coaching career as an assistant handling the offensive line with Miami (1970-75), where he coached Hall of Fame linemen Larry Little and Jim Langer. The Dolphins played in three Super Bowls during that span, winning in 1972 and 1973 (the 1972 team went 17-0).
Clark was San Francisco’s head coach in 1976 (posting an 8-6 record) before becoming the Lions head coach for seven seasons (1978-84). He had a 63-61-1 regular-season mark with the Lions and led the team to playoff appearances in 1982 and 1983 (the 1983 squad won the NFL Central Division title for the first time in 26 years).
In 1990, he was the Dolphins’ director of player personnel, then was the offensive line coach at Stanford for two seasons (1993-94). He served as a consultant for the Lions from 1999 to 2008.
He also had a stint as the head coach of the Minsk Belarus Zubers, an American pro football team in the Soviet Union. Off the field, he was a broadcaster in Detroit, a color analyst for Michigan and a sideline reporter for Michigan State.
Clark is survived by his wife of 52 years, Charlotte; sons Randy, Bryan and Eric; and eight grandchildren, as well as his brother, Don, and sisters Dolene and Kathy.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Kirk in the Hills Church Outreach and Benevolence Funds (1340 Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302).
TAGS: sports
Latest University stories
- Ray Irani, Michael Waterman Elected to NAE February 10, 2012 10:35 AM
- MSW@USC Student to Compete in 2012 Paralympics February 10, 2012 9:22 AM
- USC Price School Celebrates Naming Gift February 9, 2012 2:45 PM
-
For Journalists »
-
USC in the News
for 2/10/2012 »-
The Wall Street Journal highlighted the $200 million naming gift from USC Trustee and alumnus David Dornsife and wife Dana Dornsife to the USC Dornsife College, and the $110 million gift from USC Trustee and USC Viterbi School alumnus John Mork and wife Julie to create the USC Mork Family Scholars Program.
KPCC-FM reported that this fall USC will offer Persian language courses for the first time. A $250,000 grant from the Farhang Foundation helped to establish the program. Bruce Zuckerman of the USC Dornsife College said he has many students interested in the Persian language, culture and region. “The Iranian region is one that has great impact on our lives today and has had great impact going back into ancient times,” he said. The story noted that USC and the Farhang Foundation hope to raise more money to create an Iranian studies minor. Payvand also featured the new courses.
American Songwriter ran a Q&A with Christopher Sampson of the USC Thornton School about the school’s Popular Music program, which Sampson founded. He noted that the program has been available as a major in Songwriting since 2009, and has incorporated a diverse range of musical genres. “We have now established a consistent track record of students having professional success to know that the program gets results,” Sampson said. He also highlighted the achievements of Songwriting faculty members Lamont Dozier, Andrea Stolpe and David Poe of the Thornton School.
The Economist featured research by Valter Longo of the USC Davis School finding that short periods of fasting could help cancer patients better tolerate chemotherapy, and may even make treatment more effective. The Globe and Mail (Canada) reported that cancerous tumors are essentially energy hogs. “They need to burn lots of energy just to stay alive,” Longo said. The study was also covered by Irish Independent (Ireland), Magyar Tavirati Iroda (Hungary), Anadolu Ajansi (Turkey), Son Haber (Netherlands), Vietnam+ (Vietnam), Turkish Radio and Television (Turkey) and Romania Libera (Romania).
L.A. Weekly featured research by USC’s Institute for Creative Technologies, which has developed video games based around physical movement for people recovering from strokes or other injuries. The games develop strength in specific body parts. Traditional video games weren’t right for these patients, said the institute’s Belinda Lange. “Often, the fun parts of the game would only be unlocked after a series of other levels, which our patients often couldn’t achieve,” she said. The games are now being tested with physical therapists in three major clinics.
-
-
Campus News
- Capital Connections
- USC faculty, staff and alumni in Washington, D.C., and Sacramento
- In Print
- New and recent books written or edited by USC faculty and staff
- Family Matters
- Achievements and awards
- Obituaries