Dave Clawson
Head Coach, Wake Forest
AGE: 56
HOMETOWN: Youngstown, N.Y.
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s, Williams (1989); Master’s, SUNY Albany (1992)
FAMILY: Wife, Catherine; and children, Courtney and Eric
Career Highlights
- Only active Division I head coach to go to four conference championships in four different Division I leagues
- Conference Championship Game Appearance at every program he’s been the head coach
- 10 bowl game appearances overall, including 7 straight since 2016
- T-10th amongst FBS programs for active bowl streak (2nd in ACC)
- 3rd winningest coach in Wake Forest history
- Most bowl wins in Wake Forest program history
- Tied for 5th in ACC history for postseason wins
- 3-0 record against SEC throughout his time at Wake Forest
- First Head Coach at Wake Forest since 1950 to have an above .500 overall record
Accolades
- ACC Coach of the Year (2021)
- Paul “Bear” Bryant and Bobby Dodd National Coach of the Year, Finalist (2021)
- Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year (2007)
- Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year (2005)
- I-AA.org National Coach of the Year (2005)
- Eddie Robinson Award, Finalist (2005)
- Patriot League Coach of the Year (2002)
- Eddie Robinson Award, Finalist (2002)
- Schutt Sports/American Football Monthly I-AA Coach of the Year (2002)
- Patriot League Coach of the Year (2001)
2021 Season Recap
- Finished the season 11-3, including a 7-1 conference record
- Tied for most wins in a season in program history
- Most conference wins in a season in program history
- Ended the season ranked #14 in the Coaches Poll and #15 in the AP Poll
- Highest end of season national ranking in program history
- In early November, was ranked inside the Top 10 for the first time in program history
- Led Wake Forest to second ever ACC Championship game appearance (first since 2006)
- Started the season 8-0 for the first time in program history
- 6-0 home record was the first undefeated home record since 1979
Experience
2014 – Present: Wake Forest (Head Coach)
2009 – 2013: Bowling Green (Head Coach)
2008: Tennessee (Offensive Coordinator)
2004 – 2007: Richmond (Head Coach)
1999 – 2003: Fordham (Head Coach)
1996 – 1998: Villanova (Offensive Coordinator)
1994 – 1995: Lehigh (Offensive Coordinator)
1993: Lehigh (Running Backs)
1992: Buffalo (Quarterbacks/Running Backs)
1991: Buffalo (Secondary)
1990: Albany (Secondary)
1989: Albany (Quarterbacks/Running Backs)
Player Development
Wake Forest (Head Coach)
- A.T. Perry – New Orleans Saints WR
- 6th Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Wake Forest ’22
- Kobie Turner – LA Rams DE
- 3rd Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Wake Forest ’22
- Zach Tom – Green Bay Packers CB
- 4th Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Wake Forest ’21
- Ja’Sir Taylor – Los Angeles CB
- 6th Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Wake Forest ’21
- Carlos “Boogie” Basham Jr – Buffalo Bills DL
- 2nd Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Wake Forest ’20
- Justin Strnad – Denver Broncos LB
- 5th Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Wake Forest ’19
- Justin Herron – New England Patriots OL
- 6th Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Wake Forest ’19
- Phil Haynes – Seattle Seahawks OL
- 4th Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Wake Forest ’18
- Jessie Bates – Cincinnati Bengals DB
- 2nd Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Wake Forest ’17
- Duke Ejiofor – Houston Texans DL
- 6th Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Wake Forest ’17
- Marquel Lee – Oakland Raiders LB
- 5th Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Wake Forest ’16
- Kevin Johnson – Houston Texans DB
- 1st Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Wake Forest ’14
Bowling Green (Head Coach)
- Chris Jones – Houston Texans DL
- 6th Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Bowling Green ’13
Tennessee (Offensive Coordinator)
- Dallas Thomas – Miami Dolphins OL
- 3rd Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Tennessee ‘13
- Denarius Moore – Oakland Raiders WR
- 5th Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Tennessee ‘11
- Luke Stocker – Tampa Bay Buccaneers TE
- 4th Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Tennessee ‘11
- Jonathan Crompton – San Diego Chargers QB
- 5th Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Tennessee ‘10
- Chris Scott – Pittsburgh Steelers OL
- 5th Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Tennessee ‘10
- Jacques McClendon – Indianapolis Colts OL
- 4th Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Tennessee ‘10
- Montario Hardesty – Cleveland Browns RB
- 2nd Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Tennessee ‘10
Richmond (Head Coach)
- Lawrence Sidbury – Atlanta Falcons WR
- 4th Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Richmond ‘09
- Tim Hightower – Arizona Cardinals RB
- 5th Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Richmond ‘08
- Arman Shields – Oakland Raiders WR
- 4th Round Draft Pick
- Coached at Richmond ‘08
Bio
Dave Clawson accepted the position of Head Coach at Wake Forest University in 2014 and has set over 350 school records including marks for points scored, points per game, total offensive yards, first downs and passing yards over the past five seasons. After leading the Demon Deacons to a program-record tying 11-3 overall record, including a school-best 7-1 mark in ACC play, Clawson was named the 2021 ACC Coach of the Year. In his 24 years as a head coach, Clawson has delivered a conference championship at each of his first three stops and has compiled 153 wins, which ranks 14th amongst active FBS head coaches.
Wake Forest (Head Coach)
Clawson ended the 2022-23 season by leading the Demon Deacons to their seventh consecutive bowl game with a 27-17 win over Missouri in the Gasparilla Bowl. Clawson’s 2021-2022 season ended with a #9 ranking in the AP Poll, their highest national ranking in school history. Under Coach Clawson, Wake Forest’s seven-year record of 53-35 is the most sustained success in Demon Deacons program history culminating in a No. 15 overall ranking and an 11-3 record in 2021.
Bowling Green (Head Coach)
At Bowling Green State University, from 2009 through 2013, Coach Clawson led the Falcons to the 2013 Mid-American Conference championship, Bowling Green’s first since 1992. The team ranked 29th in the nation in total offense and 10th in total defense in the 2013 season under Coach Clawson.
Richmond (Head Coach)
In four seasons with the Spiders, from 2004 through 2007, Coach Clawson led Richmond to three-consecutive winning seasons for the first time in 52 years and compiled a 29-20 record. Under Coach Clawson Richmond won a school-record 11 games in 2007 and reached the semifinals of the NCAA Playoffs for the first time in school history after capturing the CAA Football title that Fall. Under Coach Clawson’s direction, the Spiders were an offensive juggernaut that shattered 10 single season records in 2007 alone.
Fordham (Head Coach)
During his five-years at Fordham from 1999 through 2003, Coach Clawson led the Rams to 16 team and 45 individual records.
