2022 Football Roster
Roster
Clark, Alijah

Jersey Number 5
Alijah Clark
- Position:
- Defensive Back
- Height:
- 6-1
- Weight:
- 180
- Class:
- Sophomore
- Hometown:
- Camden, N.J.
- High School:
- Camden
- Prev School:
- Rutgers
Bio
Career Overview: Joined the Orange in January of 2022 after transferring from Rutgers ... Became an immediate starter at safety for Syracuse ... Appeared in 44 collegiate games with 187 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and nine pass breakups across the two schools.
Senior Year (2024): Appeared in 12 games with 11 starts at safety ... Third on the team with 61 tackles ... Also had 2.5 tackles for loss, one interception, four pass breakups and a quarterback hurry on the season ... Made 10 tackles (eight solo) in the season opener against Ohio (8/31) ... Had four tackles and a pass breakup against Georgia Tech (9/7) ... Made seven tackles and a tackle for loss against Stanford (9/20) ... Had one solo tackle against Holy Cross (9/28) ... Notched six tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss at UNLV (10/4) ... Had four tackles at NC State (10/12) ... Made three tackles, a pass breakup and a tackle for loss at Pittsburgh (10/24) ... Had five tackles against Virginia Tech (11/2)Â ... Posted a career-high 11 tackles and a pass breakup against Bowston College (11/9) ... Made three tackles at Cal (11/16) ... Missed the UConn (11/23)Â game due to injury ... Broke up a pass and added a tackle against Miami (11/30) ... Recorded an interception and six tackles and was named Defensive MVP of the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl against Washington State (12/27) ... Invited to the East-West Shine Bowl.
Junior Year (2023): Appeared in 13 games with 12 starts at safety ... Finished fourth on the team and second among DBs with 65 tackles ... Had 4.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble on the year ... Two fumble recoveries finished the year tied for third in the ACC and 18th nationally ... Made seven tackles and recovered a fumble in the season opener against Colgate (9/2) ... Had three tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss against Western Michigan (9/9) ... Made six tackles at Purdue (9/16) ... Had eight tackles and a tackle for loss against Army (9/23) ... Had six tackles and a pair of pass breakups against Clemson (9/30) ... Forced his first collegiate fumble, had a PBU, a TFL and five tackles at Florida State (10/14) ... Made eight tackles at Virginia Tech (10/26) ... Notched four tackles in the win over Pittsburgh (11/11) ... Had six tackles and a tackle for loss at Georgia Tech (11/18) ... Made five tackles against Wake Forest (11/25) ... Returned a fumble 41 yards for a touchdown, before the score was called back for a penalty on the return, in the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl vs. South Florida (12/21).
Sophomore Year (2022): Appeared in 12 games with 11 starts at safety ... A key part of the defense that finished 14th nationally in passing defense (184.8) and 21st in total defense (328.6) ... According to PFF, was not responsible for a single passing touchdown on the season, while playing 576 defensive snaps ... Made 55 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and had two pass breakups ... Made three tackles in the season-opening win over Louisville (9/3), during what was his first collegiate start ... Had seven tackles in the win at UConn (9/10) ... Made three tackles vs. Purdue (9/17) ... Had three stops in the win over Virginia (9/24) ... Had three tackles against NC State (10/15) ... Had a pass breakup, made three tackles and allowed just 12 yards receiving at Clemson (10/22) ... Had seven tackles and a career high 1.5 tackles for loss against Notre Dame (10/29) ... Missed the Pitt (11/5) game due to injury ... Made six tackles vs. Florida State (11/12) ... Posted a career high 13 tackles, 1.0 tackles for loss and had a pass breakup against Wake Forest (11/19) ... Made four tackles in the Pinstripe Bowl vs. Minnesota (12/29).
Freshman Year (2021 at Rutgers): Appeared in seven games, making six tackles and an interception … Had a season-high three tackles at Northwestern (10/16) … Made his first collegiate interception against Michigan State (10/9) … Made two tackles against Ohio State (10/2) … Made his collegiate debut against Temple (9/4).
High School: Rated four stars by the 247 composite rankings … Named a top-250 recruit in the country by Rivals … No. 5 overall prospect in New Jersey according to 247 Sports … Played for coach Dwayne Savage at Camden High School, where he was a teammate of Orange DB Duce Chestnut … Played both WR and DB … Caught 21 passes for 357 yards and four touchdowns during an abbreviated 2020 season on offense … Also tallied 22 tackles on defense … Second Team All-New Jersey according to USA Today … First Team All-Group and Third Team All-State by The Star-Ledger … Recorded 35 tackles, seven pass breakups and five interceptions on defense, along with 285 yards receiving and seven touchdowns as a junior in 2019 ... Helped Camden to eight wins during junior campaign ... 2019 Second Team All-West Jersey Football League Constitution Division on defense by The Star-Ledger ... High school teammate of fellow Orange DB Duce Chestnut.
Personal: Alijah Clark ... Born July 11, 2003 ... Majoring in communications and rhetorical studies in the College of Visual and Performing Arts ... Nicknamed ‘Cinco’
Senior Year (2024): Appeared in 12 games with 11 starts at safety ... Third on the team with 61 tackles ... Also had 2.5 tackles for loss, one interception, four pass breakups and a quarterback hurry on the season ... Made 10 tackles (eight solo) in the season opener against Ohio (8/31) ... Had four tackles and a pass breakup against Georgia Tech (9/7) ... Made seven tackles and a tackle for loss against Stanford (9/20) ... Had one solo tackle against Holy Cross (9/28) ... Notched six tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss at UNLV (10/4) ... Had four tackles at NC State (10/12) ... Made three tackles, a pass breakup and a tackle for loss at Pittsburgh (10/24) ... Had five tackles against Virginia Tech (11/2)Â ... Posted a career-high 11 tackles and a pass breakup against Bowston College (11/9) ... Made three tackles at Cal (11/16) ... Missed the UConn (11/23)Â game due to injury ... Broke up a pass and added a tackle against Miami (11/30) ... Recorded an interception and six tackles and was named Defensive MVP of the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl against Washington State (12/27) ... Invited to the East-West Shine Bowl.
Junior Year (2023): Appeared in 13 games with 12 starts at safety ... Finished fourth on the team and second among DBs with 65 tackles ... Had 4.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble on the year ... Two fumble recoveries finished the year tied for third in the ACC and 18th nationally ... Made seven tackles and recovered a fumble in the season opener against Colgate (9/2) ... Had three tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss against Western Michigan (9/9) ... Made six tackles at Purdue (9/16) ... Had eight tackles and a tackle for loss against Army (9/23) ... Had six tackles and a pair of pass breakups against Clemson (9/30) ... Forced his first collegiate fumble, had a PBU, a TFL and five tackles at Florida State (10/14) ... Made eight tackles at Virginia Tech (10/26) ... Notched four tackles in the win over Pittsburgh (11/11) ... Had six tackles and a tackle for loss at Georgia Tech (11/18) ... Made five tackles against Wake Forest (11/25) ... Returned a fumble 41 yards for a touchdown, before the score was called back for a penalty on the return, in the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl vs. South Florida (12/21).
Sophomore Year (2022): Appeared in 12 games with 11 starts at safety ... A key part of the defense that finished 14th nationally in passing defense (184.8) and 21st in total defense (328.6) ... According to PFF, was not responsible for a single passing touchdown on the season, while playing 576 defensive snaps ... Made 55 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and had two pass breakups ... Made three tackles in the season-opening win over Louisville (9/3), during what was his first collegiate start ... Had seven tackles in the win at UConn (9/10) ... Made three tackles vs. Purdue (9/17) ... Had three stops in the win over Virginia (9/24) ... Had three tackles against NC State (10/15) ... Had a pass breakup, made three tackles and allowed just 12 yards receiving at Clemson (10/22) ... Had seven tackles and a career high 1.5 tackles for loss against Notre Dame (10/29) ... Missed the Pitt (11/5) game due to injury ... Made six tackles vs. Florida State (11/12) ... Posted a career high 13 tackles, 1.0 tackles for loss and had a pass breakup against Wake Forest (11/19) ... Made four tackles in the Pinstripe Bowl vs. Minnesota (12/29).
Freshman Year (2021 at Rutgers): Appeared in seven games, making six tackles and an interception … Had a season-high three tackles at Northwestern (10/16) … Made his first collegiate interception against Michigan State (10/9) … Made two tackles against Ohio State (10/2) … Made his collegiate debut against Temple (9/4).
High School: Rated four stars by the 247 composite rankings … Named a top-250 recruit in the country by Rivals … No. 5 overall prospect in New Jersey according to 247 Sports … Played for coach Dwayne Savage at Camden High School, where he was a teammate of Orange DB Duce Chestnut … Played both WR and DB … Caught 21 passes for 357 yards and four touchdowns during an abbreviated 2020 season on offense … Also tallied 22 tackles on defense … Second Team All-New Jersey according to USA Today … First Team All-Group and Third Team All-State by The Star-Ledger … Recorded 35 tackles, seven pass breakups and five interceptions on defense, along with 285 yards receiving and seven touchdowns as a junior in 2019 ... Helped Camden to eight wins during junior campaign ... 2019 Second Team All-West Jersey Football League Constitution Division on defense by The Star-Ledger ... High school teammate of fellow Orange DB Duce Chestnut.
Personal: Alijah Clark ... Born July 11, 2003 ... Majoring in communications and rhetorical studies in the College of Visual and Performing Arts ... Nicknamed ‘Cinco’
Fran Brown Show
Thursday, September 04
Pete Sala, John Wildhack Football Season Opening Press Conference
Tuesday, September 02
Fran Brown Press Conference | UConn Week
Monday, September 01
Fran Brown Press Conference
Monday, September 01