Tampa's Clark coaching on Wannstedt's Pitt staff

The birth certificate says Bernard Clark is 43 years old.

He still feels like a linebacker.

"Every now and then, I'll put on the helmet and the shoulder pads, not to show my players that I'm better than them, but to show how I want things done,'' said Clark, the well-traveled coaching veteran, one of the all-time greats at Leto High School and the University of Miami. "You can't ever say I lacked for enthusiasm.''

Now Clark is taking his passion to the University of Pittsburgh, who hired him this week as linebackers coach. Clark will work for Pitt head coach Dave Wannstedt, who was his defensive coordinator at Miami in the late 1980s.

"I can't wait to get started,'' said Clark, replacing Joe Tumpkin, who became defensive coordinator at Central Michigan University. "I've been to a lot of places the last few years, all over the place, really. I'm excited that it has led to this.

"You won't find many places with the rich tradition of a place like Pittsburgh. We've really got something special to sell. They won 10 games last season and we're very close to winning the Big East championship (losing in the final seconds against Cincinnati). I'm glad to be part of it.''

Clark, who won two national championships with the Hurricanes and was Most Valuable Player of the 1988 Orange Bowl, has been on a coaching odyssey since his playing career ended.

After playing three seasons in the NFL and two with Arena Football, Clark began his coaching career with James Madison (defensive ends, 1998-99). He shifted to Liberty University for special teams and linebackers (2000-03) before joining Florida International University as defensive coordinator (2004-05).

For one season, he returned to his hometown and coached the University of South Florida's defensive line (2006). Then it was back to FIU, joining the staff of former UM teammate Mario Cristobal, and coaching the Golden Panthers' defensive line (2007-08).

Last season, he was Hampton University's defensive coordinator.

And now, he's at Pittsburgh.

"I know I get one trip home next season (when Pittsburgh plays at USF) and I may be recruiting down there as well,'' said Clark, whose Florida recruiting ties were a big factor in being hired by Wannstedt. "Anybody who does this, they probably have aspirations to one day be a head coach and I'm no different.

"But for now, all I'm focused on is being the best linebackers coach I can be for the University of Pittsburgh.''

Clark's playing career was recently back in the news during airing of "The U,'' a film documenting the rise of Miami football that was shown on ESPN. Clark arrived in Miami when the Hurricanes became college football's bad boys - and one of the most dominating programs in recent history.

"It all happened a long time ago,'' Clark said. "When that film was shown, I got so many texts from players (at Hampton). A lot of them came in my office and said, 'Coach, I see why you drive us like you drive us, why you're on us so much.' They saw how hard we worked and how much it meant to us.

"So even though I haven't played in a good while, I think kids can relate to my approach. I think it's what Coach Wannstedt likes about me, my passion for the game. It has never left.''

Clark already has developed a passion for Pittsburgh's football tradition.

"I remember growing up, watching Hugh Green rushing off the edge, watching Tony Dorsett and seeing Dan Marino at quarterback,'' Clark said. "That's a pretty powerful program just in that era. Then you think about all the others, Mike Ditka, Mark May, Jimbo Covert, Larry Fitzgerald not so long ago, LeSean McCoy in the NFL now. It's pretty powerful.

"That's a lot of tradition to work with in recruiting. When you're visiting with these kids, they might not remember Tony Dorsett or Dan Marino at Pittsburgh, but I guarantee you, their parents do.''