Why star safety Bud Clark spurned the NFL to return to TCU football for one more year
After having arguably his best season as a Horned Frog, it would’ve been understandable if TCU star safety Bud Clark opted to enter the 2025 NFL Draft.
Clark was voted second team All-Big 12 and was graded a top-10 safety by Pro Football Focus after a stellar season in Andy Avalos’ first year as a defensive coordinator.
Despite the success, Clark opted to return for one more season in Fort Worth and his return is one of the many reasons TCU have high expectations for the upcoming season.
Clark’s already played for a national title, a Big 12 title and been in some of the biggest games in program history. He’s more than proven himself, so what led to him coming back?
“Sonny Dykes talked to me one day during our bye week and said you know you got another year left?” Clark said on Tuesday. “There was a lot of thinking to do. I wanted to capitalize (on last season) and play with Coach Avalos again. Being in that defense, being in that NFL frame, I knew it was something I wanted to do.”
Clark set a career-high with 68 tackles (44 solo) and snagged three interceptions this season, bringing his career total to 11. Clark was among the many defenders that wanted to have a bounce back year after TCU struggled mightily in 2023 under Joe Gillespie.
Avalos’ first few games were rocky, but by the end of the season Clark and the defense were playing as well as anybody in the BIg 12. Clark said Avalos helped him expand his football I.Q. in just one season.
“I was just able to see different things,” Clark said. “Just small details, like how to (run) fit. Being able to know the game of football, stuff like that. I was always athletic, but I didn’t really have the knowledge of football. (Avalos) really helped me.”
As the Horned Frogs prepared for the New Mexico Bowl against Louisiana in December, Clark said he was still undecided on his future to the media, but deep down his decision had already been made.
“I knew what I was going to do,” Clark said. “But it felt good to be through with the process. I had everybody around me helping me with my process, but at the end of the day it was my decision.”
His decision guarantees TCU will have one of the best safeties in the country next season and one of the best defensive backs in program history. Clark’s 11 career interceptions are the ninth-most in TCU history and he’s eager to do his best to try and get to first place.
“It’s a big thing for me honestly,” Clark said. “Especially coming from where I’m from (Louisiana), it’s a lot of people that look up to me. Being able to put on for them, put on for my son and for my family is a big deal. Having my name in the history books or pictures up, whatever it is, I just want to be known for something.”
For many TCU fans, Clark will be known for what he did in the 2022 Fiesta Bowl, when picked off future first round pick J.J. McCarthy and returned it for a touchdown to jump start the Horned Frogs’ upset of Jim Harbaugh and Michigan.
That moment, combined with Clark’s enthusiastic personality has helped him build a strong connection with Fort Worth. When he announced he was returning on social media, Clark said he felt all the love from the fans.
“It lets me know I’m loved,” Clark said. “Having fan love is amazing, I’m trying to become the fan favorite.”
If Clark isn’t already there, another big year will surely move him up the favorite player rankings of many fans in Fort Worth. Clark leads a talented safety group that returns starter Jamel Johnson and added Kylin Jackson from LSU.
They won’t be coached by Clark’s long time coach Paul Gonzales, who left for Baylor, but Clark is optimistic about new safeties coach Tre Watson and the safety room as a whole.
“We’re trying to be the best in the nation,” Clark said.
This story was originally published February 8, 2025 at 4:00 AM.
