Tigers make impression with the top player in Arkansas

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sat Jun 18 10:23:39 GMT-04:00 2011

Running back Zac Brooks Zac Brooks

Athlete

6-2, 180

Jonesboro, AR

View Full Profile didn’t get a chance to work out during Dabo Swinney’s camp this past week, so he didn’t get a chance to make a further impression on the Clemson coaching staff.

However, the Clemson campus and the coaches did make an impression on Brooks, who is the No. 1-rated player in the state of Arkansas.

The 6-2, 180-pound speedster said Clemson now fits firmly into his top four because the school met with all of his criteria.

“You have got to have a good knowledge of what you want, and a good feel for people,” Brooks told TigerNet following the camp on Thursday. “I feel like I know people, and I know what kind of school I want to be at. This is a great environment to be around. I want to go somewhere where I feel comfortable, and Clemson is a place that I feel comfortable.”

Brooks said his recruiter is new offensive coordinator Chad Morris, and the two already agree on how Brooks would fit into the Tiger offense.

“I love how he wants me to play in his offense,” he said. “I feel like I am perfect for what they want me to do. He told me I can be a running back on one play, then go to wide receiver, then go to the slot and then go back to running back. You just can’t cover that. They want to get me the ball.”

Brooks rushed for nearly 1,400 yards and 17 touchdowns during his junior season and currently boasts a dozen offers.

However, he now has a top four.

“Clemson, Arkansas, Notre Dame and Auburn are my leaders right now,” he said. “They are all about the same, and no one is recruiting me any harder than anybody else. Notre Dame is a football school, and you have to love the history of the school. Auburn won the national championship last year, and they know how to use their players on offense. And Arkansas is an SEC school that is in my home state. There are reasons why I like them all.”

Brooks said he is planning on making a trip to South Bend to visit Notre Dame at some point in the next two weeks, but has no timetable on making a decision.