If you thought Lane Kiffin was going too young with his recruiting efforts at Florida Atlantic by offering a scholarship to a 13-year-old quarterback last month, you haven't heard anything yet.
The former Oakland Raiders coach has now offered one to Pierce Clarkson, also a quarterback, who just completed the sixth grade, according to Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman.
Clarkson is the son of Steve Clarkson, a quarterback coach who played at San Jose State and later in the CFL. The elder Clarkson has worked with the likes of Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Leinart and Teddy Bridgewater, among others, so there should be little doubt that his son knows his way around the pocket.
But a sixth-grader? Not that there is much chance that Kiffin, whose coaching career is littered with short stops, would be the coach at FAU when it's time for Clarkson to sign, but he would be part of the Owls' 2023 signing class. Kiffin also has offered 13-year-old quarterback Kaden Martin, the son of USC offensive coordinator Tee Martin.
Kiffin certainly knows how to attract attention with moves like this one, but it will be recruits much older than Clarkson and Martin who will ultimately determine how much success he has at FAU. Kiffin is entering his first year at the school after spending three seasons as Alabama's offensive coordinator. Under Nick Saban, where assistant coaches are not allowed to speak with reporters and remain largely anonymous, Kiffin spent three years largely out of the spotlight.
As only Kiffin can, he's finding it again now that he's back in a head-coaching role.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread*.
