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The Opening was the second time I had seen Armwood’s Clyde Pinder Jr. in as many weeks. At the UA combine in Orlando he couldn’t be stopped, and his performance on Sunday just reiterated what I already knew about Pinder. He is one of the most dominant interior linemen in the state, and he dominated his way to being in the Opening’s Final 5 in the OL/DL challenge. Pinder took the time to talk with me about his experience and where he’s at in his recruitment.
You made it to the Final 5, how do you feel about your performance today?
“I feel like I did good, but at the end in the Final 5, then one of the coaches told me try a move that I wasn’t really sure about. So I tried it out and it didn't turn out too good and I lost that last rep. But it's alright.”
(Note: Pinder was paired up against Miami Central’s Laurence Seymoure in the final 5 in what was one of the best matchups of the entire day. They split the first 2 reps, and Seymoure won the 3rd rep which is the rep Pinder is referring to above.)
What’s your least favorite about these camps?
“I love the camps, but all these kids that got 4 and 5 stars that just have hype and really aren’t that good. They got to stop babying them. Let them see what’s real. There’s really kids out here grinding and putting their all into these camps. In the end, it comes out bad for them because all the 4-5 stars, 6’7” 6’8” guys get the awards. It’s politics. A lot of these camps, not to expose anything, they already know who is going to win. That’s why I love the Opening because they do it fairly.”
This is a common answer I have been getting at these camps when I talk to the athletes. A lot of the results seem to be predetermined, and the guys with the bigger names are already put on a pedestal before the camp even begins.
Pinder added that the coaching was great at the Opening, and they pushed them hard throughout the day.
Last time we saw you was in the state title. It didn’t turn out the way you wanted, but what did you learn from that game that you can take with you in the future?
“If we get there again, it’s got to be a team effort. Don’t put your head down. No matter what the score. Just keep going 100%.”
Pinder wishes Armwood could get another shot at Northwestern, but due to the changes with the classifications, the two teams will no longer be in the same bracket.
Going into your senior year, what are certain things your working on to take your game to an even higher level?
“I am explosive already, but I want to get in some new moves. I already have a few moves, but I want to use some moves that make people go ‘wow he just did that’. I want to use moves that guys like Reggie White or Warren Sapp used that kids don’t use anymore.”
Pinder said he watches a ton of White, Sapp and Aaron Donald film to improve his game. His go to move right now is the ‘club and rip’.
Recruiting wise, what schools are sticking out to you right now?
“I’ve been really on Pitt right now. I am looking at them a lot right now. Clemson has also been on me, and Florida has been on me too.”
What are the biggest factors that are going to help you decide which school to go to?
"Just how they show love to me, how they treat me and how they treat my family when I go on a visit."
Pinder also said that he has a good amount of contact with Jess Simpson and the Miami staff. He likes Simpson and had a good time at Miami’s recent Junior day. I have to imagine the interest from Miami and around the country in general has to really be heating up.
Pinder’s first few steps off the ball are extremely explosive, and he’s able to get underneath lineman and overpower them because he maintains a low center of gravity. That part of his game reminds me a lot of Nesta Silvera. At around 6’1” 300 pounds, he’s incredibly light on his feet and has no problem changing direction. He is not the type of DT that is simply a run plugger. Pinder has the athletic ability to also provide a pass rush from the middle. In fact, he notched 8 sacks for Armwood in 2018. The most impressive thing about Pinder is that you can tell how seriously he takes his craft. When it comes to the technical things, Pinder is very advanced compared to a lot of his peers. Most interior lineman at his age just have a simple bull rush in their ****nal. This guy already has a variety of moves, and as he mentioned above, he’s looking to add more to his bag. I’d be willing to bet he will also be adding a flurry of offers to his bag as well a huge bump in rankings in the near future. I am eager to see what Clyde does next.
You made it to the Final 5, how do you feel about your performance today?
“I feel like I did good, but at the end in the Final 5, then one of the coaches told me try a move that I wasn’t really sure about. So I tried it out and it didn't turn out too good and I lost that last rep. But it's alright.”
(Note: Pinder was paired up against Miami Central’s Laurence Seymoure in the final 5 in what was one of the best matchups of the entire day. They split the first 2 reps, and Seymoure won the 3rd rep which is the rep Pinder is referring to above.)
What’s your least favorite about these camps?
“I love the camps, but all these kids that got 4 and 5 stars that just have hype and really aren’t that good. They got to stop babying them. Let them see what’s real. There’s really kids out here grinding and putting their all into these camps. In the end, it comes out bad for them because all the 4-5 stars, 6’7” 6’8” guys get the awards. It’s politics. A lot of these camps, not to expose anything, they already know who is going to win. That’s why I love the Opening because they do it fairly.”
This is a common answer I have been getting at these camps when I talk to the athletes. A lot of the results seem to be predetermined, and the guys with the bigger names are already put on a pedestal before the camp even begins.
Pinder added that the coaching was great at the Opening, and they pushed them hard throughout the day.
Last time we saw you was in the state title. It didn’t turn out the way you wanted, but what did you learn from that game that you can take with you in the future?
“If we get there again, it’s got to be a team effort. Don’t put your head down. No matter what the score. Just keep going 100%.”
Pinder wishes Armwood could get another shot at Northwestern, but due to the changes with the classifications, the two teams will no longer be in the same bracket.
Going into your senior year, what are certain things your working on to take your game to an even higher level?
“I am explosive already, but I want to get in some new moves. I already have a few moves, but I want to use some moves that make people go ‘wow he just did that’. I want to use moves that guys like Reggie White or Warren Sapp used that kids don’t use anymore.”
Pinder said he watches a ton of White, Sapp and Aaron Donald film to improve his game. His go to move right now is the ‘club and rip’.
Recruiting wise, what schools are sticking out to you right now?
“I’ve been really on Pitt right now. I am looking at them a lot right now. Clemson has also been on me, and Florida has been on me too.”
What are the biggest factors that are going to help you decide which school to go to?
"Just how they show love to me, how they treat me and how they treat my family when I go on a visit."
Pinder also said that he has a good amount of contact with Jess Simpson and the Miami staff. He likes Simpson and had a good time at Miami’s recent Junior day. I have to imagine the interest from Miami and around the country in general has to really be heating up.
Pinder’s first few steps off the ball are extremely explosive, and he’s able to get underneath lineman and overpower them because he maintains a low center of gravity. That part of his game reminds me a lot of Nesta Silvera. At around 6’1” 300 pounds, he’s incredibly light on his feet and has no problem changing direction. He is not the type of DT that is simply a run plugger. Pinder has the athletic ability to also provide a pass rush from the middle. In fact, he notched 8 sacks for Armwood in 2018. The most impressive thing about Pinder is that you can tell how seriously he takes his craft. When it comes to the technical things, Pinder is very advanced compared to a lot of his peers. Most interior lineman at his age just have a simple bull rush in their ****nal. This guy already has a variety of moves, and as he mentioned above, he’s looking to add more to his bag. I’d be willing to bet he will also be adding a flurry of offers to his bag as well a huge bump in rankings in the near future. I am eager to see what Clyde does next.
