Sad News out of Detroit...
Monte Clark, the co-captain of the 1958 USC football team who then played and coached in the NFL, including serving as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions, died on Wednesday (Sept. 16) in Detroit, Mich., after an extended illness with a bone marrow malignancy associated with lung and liver disease. He was 72.
Clark lettered at USC for 3 seasons (1956-58) as a right tackle out of Kingsburg (Calif.) High. The 1956 squad went 8-2 and defeated both UCLA and Notre Dame.
He was a fourth round pick in the 1959 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He spent 11 seasons as an NFL defensive and offensive tackle: 3 with the 49ers (1959-61), 1962 with the Dallas Cowboys and 7 with the Cleveland Browns (1963-69). He was a member of the Browns' 1964 NFL championship squad. He blocked for Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown during his last 3 seasons with the Browns.
He then began his coaching career as an assistant handling the offensive line with the Miami Dolphins for 6 years (1970-75), where he coached Hall of Fame linemen Larry Little and Jim Langer. The Dolphins played in 3 Super Bowls during that span, including winning in 1972 and 1973 (the 1972 team went 17-0).
Our thoughts go out to his family.