Furman University

Honors & Awards
2024 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll
2023 All-Southern Conference (1st Team - Media)
2023 All-Southern Conference (2nd Team - Coaches)
2023 Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 13)

2023 — Consensus All-Southern Conference selection who earned starts at bandit in all 13 games, extending his streak of consecutive starts to 26 games over two seasons...proved to again be a major factor in Furman’s success, helping key a Paladin defense that topped the SoCon and ranked among FCS leaders in virtually every statistical category, including, among others, scoring defense (18.2 ppg), rushing defense (96.9 ypg), total defense (316.0 ypg), and sacks (38), with the sacks tally ranking as second most in program history...Furman ranked second in the FCS in turnover margin (+1.31) and third in turnovers gained (27)... strong work sparked the Paladins to a second consecutive 10-3 season headlined by a SoCon championship and FCS quarterfinal round playoff appearance...squad was ranked sixth in the AFCA FCS final poll....credited with 53 tackles, including seven for for-loss, six sacks,and two forced fumbles...logged a season high seven tackles in season opener versus Tennessee Tech (45-10 win)...fashioned perhaps his best game of the season at Samford (27-21 win), recording six tackles and two sacks...delivered a sack and six tackles in the Paladins’ 17-14 road win over Chattanooga that clinched Furman’s SoCon championship...followed that up with three tackles, two sacks, a pair of forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery against VMI (37-3 win) that netted Furman the outright SoCon title...performance against VMi netted him SoCon Defensive Player of the Week honors.,,,named to the SoCon Academic Honor Roll for the 2023-24 school year.

2022 — Moved into the starting lineup at the bandit position, taking over for graduated All-American Adrian Hope...earned starts in all 13 games and played a pivotal role in Furman’s 10-3 season that featured a stretch of seven consecutive wins and an at-large bid to the FCS playoffs, where the Paladins claimed a 31-6 first round home win over Elon...10 wins represented the most by Furman since 2005...team finished a consensus 10th in final AFCA and Stats Perform Polls...campaign was fueled with strong work by Furman’s defense, which led the FCS in turnovers gained (29)...helped the Paladins rank first in the SoCon in scoring (20.2 ppg) and red zone defense (71.7 percent, 28x39)...compiled 41 tackles and 5.0 tackles for-loss (4.0 sacks)...tied for the team lead with seven quarterback pressures...registered a season high six tackles in three contests: vs. Samford, Western Carolina (47-40 win), and Incarnate Word in FCS second round playoff action...had a season two sacks in the Samford contest...have five tackles and a sack against 18th-ranked East Tennessee State (27-14 win)...tallied half sacks against both 11th-ranked Mercer (23-13 win) and Incarnate Word.

2021 — Earned playing time as a backup at bandit in 10 contests, missing only the The Citadel game (24-14 win)...logged 18 tackles, including 2.5 for-loss, and two sacks...also credited with a forced fumble...had three tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble against Tennessee Tech (26-0 win)...delivered six tackles and a sack against East Tennessee State.

2020 — Put together an impactful first season as a Paladin (spring of ‘21), earning playing time in all seven games as backup...credited with seven tackles, including three for-loss, two pass deflections, and an interception...tallied three tackles in a pair of games: vs. Western Carolina (35-7 win) and Chattanooga...three-tackle performance against Chattanooga included one for-loss and an interception.

High School: 2020 graduate of South Oldham (5A) High School...football coach was Jamie Reed...played defensive end and tight end...credited with 187 tackles, 23 sacks, and 48 tackles for-loss in his prep career...part of South Oldham squads who combined to post a 35-6 record over his final three seasons, including an 11-2 mark in 2019...named District Four Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 after totaling 99 tackles, 12 sacks, and 28 tackles for-loss.

Personal: Full name is Luke Elias Clark...born January 10, 2002, in Louisville, Kentucky...son of Scott and Angela Clark...has a brother, Cameron...had a grandfather who played football at Louisville...business administration major.