After a Shaky Start, a Shake-Up at Carson High : Football: Former assistant Clarkson returns as a coaching consultant, prompting offensive line coach Bohannon to resign.

Steve Clarkson, a former Carson High assistant credited with the development of former Colt quarterbacks Perry Klein and John Walsh, has returned as a part-time coaching consultant, Principal Dhyan Lal said Thursday.

Clarkson attended Carson’s practice Wednesday and is expected to be on the sideline tonight when the Colts (0-2-1) play a nonleague game at Colton (1-1). He was not at practice Thursday.

Clarkson could not be reached for comment.

Lal said Clarkson has not been hired by the school and will assist Coach Marty Blankenship with the offense when his work schedule allows.

“If he’s here, fine, if he’s not, fine,” Lal said. “He’s helping out. He’s not a member of the (coaching) staff.”

However, a source close to Blankenship said Lal has pressured the Carson coach to work with Clarkson in an attempt to revive the Colts’ offense, which has scored only two touchdowns in three games.

“It appears to me that (Lal) has told Marty either you let Clarkson help or you’re gone,” the source said.

Blankenship denied the report.

“(Lal) just wants what’s best for the program,” Blankenship said.

The move to add Clarkson as a coaching consultant reportedly prompted Don Bohannon to resign as offensive line coach Wednesday.

“(Clarkson) has the principal talked into believing he’s a better coach than anyone there,” Bohannon told a local paper.

Off to its worst start since 1968, Carson has unsuccessfully tried to establish a running game this season. The Colts are averaging only 2.77 yards per rushing attempt and were limited to 21 yards in 23 carries last week in a 13-6 loss to San Diego Morse.

Because of the team’s inability to run the ball, Blankenship said he has decided to return to a one-back passing scheme that Carson used the past few seasons. Clarkson, a former quarterback with San Jose State and the Denver Broncos, is considered an expert at coaching the pass offense.

“I think I’ve miscalculated our talent as far as establishing a running game,” Blankenship said. “We’re not able to get that thing going. We’re probably more talented in the area of the passing game and we’re going to get back to that.

“I need some help and Steve has offered some help.”

Blankenship said he was uncertain how many games Clarkson would be able to attend this season.

Clarkson was expected to be a member of the Carson staff last spring, but because of other commitments he did not open the season with the Colts.

Clarkson previously coached at Carson under Gene Vollnogle in the 1988 season, helping the Colts win the City Section 4-A Division title. Clarkson was the private quarterback coach for Klein, who transferred from Palisades to Carson in 1988, and Walsh, who transferred from West Torrance to Carson in 1990.

Vollnogle had planned to have Clarkson coach at Carson in 1990, but Dick Mattingly, the school’s administrator in charge of athletics at the time, would not allow Clarkson on the staff because of the controversy surrounding Walsh’s transfer.

Walsh is now a quarterback at Brigham Young University and Klein plays for Cal.