Tigers D-lineman turns best friend’s death into motivation
Memphis lineman Pooda Walker (99) tries to get around his defender during an Aug. 30, 2025, game against Chattanooga. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)
Pooda Walker planned to take the morning off.
The high school junior wasn’t in the mood to run hills in the sand at 5 a.m.
His friend, Ladarius Clardy, better known as LD, didn’t care. He wasn’t taking no for an answer.
Clardy was like family, so he could enter Walker’s Pensacola, Florida, home with no invitation.
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Memphis Tigers Football Pooda WalkerFrank Bonner II
Frank Bonner II covers the Memphis Tigers. He is a top-10 APSE winner who covered Oklahoma State for the Tulsa World before joining The Daily Memphian in 2021. Bonner is a native of Indiana, where he started his career covering high school sports.
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