Dave Clawson

Born on August 16, 1967, in Youngstown, New York, Dave Clawson developed an early interest in football. He played defensive back at Williams College, where he earned a degree in political economy in 1989. His coaching career began shortly after, serving as a graduate assistant and positional coach at institutions such as the University at Albany and the University at Buffalo. These early coaching experiences laid the groundwork for his future leadership roles, emphasizing strategic offensive and defensive play.

Clawson’s head coaching journey began at Fordham University in 1999, where he started transforming the program. Despite an initial 0-11 season, he led the Rams to their first Patriot League title and a Division I-AA playoff appearance in 2002. This success continued at the University of Richmond (2004-2007), where he achieved two conference titles and led the Spiders to the NCAA Championship semifinals in 2007, earning him multiple Coach of the Year honors. His tenure at Bowling Green State University (2009-2013) further solidified his reputation as a program builder, culminating in a Mid-American Conference championship in 2013.

In 2013, Clawson was appointed head football coach at Wake Forest University, a role he held for 11 years. Under his leadership, the Demon Deacons experienced their most successful period in program history, marked by seven consecutive bowl appearances (2016-2022), an Atlantic Division title in 2021, and the program’s first-ever top-10 national rankings in 2021 and 2022. He achieved a school-record 11 wins in 2021, earning him the ACC Coach of the Year award. Clawson’s coaching philosophy, centered on strong recruiting, strategic development, and academic excellence, led to significant on-field success and facility enhancements, including the McCreary Football Complex. He concluded his head coaching career with 157 wins, notably becoming the only Division I head coach to win at least 10 games in a season at four different Division I institutions.