Ken Clark Dies: Former Nebraska Star RB Dead At 46

Ken Clark, a star running back for the Nebraska Cornhuskers who later went on to play for the Indianapolis Colts, died this Saturday in Minneapolis. He was 46.

A family member, Stephanie Clark of Omaha, confirmed Clark’s death. She said Ken died of a massive heart attack.

A two-time All-Big Eight RB, Ken Clark rushed for over 1,000 yards in both his junior and senior seasons and posted a career average of more than 6.1 yards per carry, while scoring 29 touchdowns.

According to Huskers.com, Clark still holds the junior single-game rushing record (fourth best overall in NU history) with 256 yards against Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders and Oklahoma State in 1988, is No. 5 on the Nebraska career rushing list with 3,037 yards and is No. 5 on the single-season rushing list (1,497).

“I had a physical style of running,” Clark told Big Red Report in 2010. I was not going to outrun a whole lot of guys. I wasn’t the slowest back, but I certainly wasn’t a back that was going to take it the distance. I had great balance and vision and did most of my work at the point of attack with my cuts and quickness.”

Tony Davis, another star Nebraska running back who went on to play in the NFL, remembers Clark as a quiet man, and excellent I-back (halfback in an I formation).

“Listen dude, he was the deal, make no mistake about it,” Davis told the Journal Star. “He may be the most underrated I-back in Nebraska history. He would produce and produce and produce. He was a producing machine. I mean, he’d always pick up third-and-4s — stuff like that.

“He was a heck of a player. He was tough. He was smart. He knew the game.”

Following his collegiate career, Clark was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the eighth round of the 1990 NFL Draft.

He spent three seasons with the Colts and played in 34 games.