Dave Clawson, the head coach at Wake Forest, had a successful run at the private university, which has one of the smallest enrollments in the Bowl Subdivision. However, Clawson resigned on Monday, marking the end of his 11-year tenure. He stated that he had given “everything I had” for the program and school.
During his time at Wake Forest, Clawson led the team to 11 wins and a trip to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championship game in 2021. He also helped the team reach the top 10 of the AP poll in both 2021 and 2022.
Additionally, the Demon Deacons made six consecutive bowl appearances. However, the team struggled in the past two seasons, finishing with a 4-8 record.
The challenges of the current era, including the transfer portal and name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities, made it harder for Clawson to maintain success.
In a statement, the 57-year-old coach explained that after 36 consecutive seasons in college football, he felt the timing was right to step into a new advisory role with athletic director John Currie. As of the 2023-24 academic year, Wake Forest had an undergraduate enrollment of 5,471 students.
Clawson expressed his deep gratitude for his time at Wake Forest, saying, “Coaching at Wake Forest has been the honor of my career. This is a special place with extraordinary people, and I am deeply grateful for the relationships I’ve built over the last 11 years.
Together, we achieved things that many thought impossible, and I step down knowing I gave everything I had for this program and university.”
In a letter posted on the school’s athletics site, Currie shared that Clawson’s decision was “not the news we had wanted to share.” Currie mentioned that Clawson had been considering his future for several weeks, and he had hoped Clawson would change his mind. The coach and Currie informed the team via Zoom just before the official announcement.
Clawson took over as head coach in 2014 after Jim Grobe’s successful tenure, which included an ACC title in 2006. Like Grobe, Clawson found success at Wake Forest despite the university’s small size.
His approach focused on developing players over time and competing against larger programs with more highly-rated recruits. The team often redshirted young players, helping them grow and develop before taking on bigger roles. The goal was to play disciplined football, avoiding mistakes while focusing on clean execution.
Under Clawson, Wake Forest’s offense was often very productive, with a fast pace and a strong group of receivers. The team was also known for its low penalties and turnovers, ranking among the best in these categories during the seven-year bowl streak from 2016-2022.
The Demon Deacons were tied for eighth in turnover margin (+39) and ranked eighth in fewest penalty yards per game (42.2), along with ninth in fewest penalties per game (4.93).
The peak of Clawson’s tenure came in 2021. That season, Wake Forest won 11 games and reached the ACC championship game, where they lost to Pittsburgh. The team started the season 8-0 and was ranked No. 10 in the AP poll. Quarterback Sam Hartman led an offense that ranked fourth in scoring (41.0 points per game) and sixth in third-down conversions (49.6%).
However, even stars like Hartman were not immune to the challenges of the current college football landscape. After that season, Hartman transferred to Notre Dame for a one-year stint, showing how the transfer portal has complicated player retention.
Clawson spoke several times about the difficulty of keeping players on the team, especially in the face of lucrative NIL deals offered by other schools. Some of his players were promised deals ranging from $150,000 to $500,000 if they transferred. Clawson said that around six players returned for the 2023 season despite these offers.
The 2023 season was a tough one for the Demon Deacons, especially on defense, where they ranked near the bottom nationally.
The team struggled with losses, including a heartbreaking 13-point fourth-quarter lead lost to Virginia at home in their second game. They also lost to Louisiana in a close game in which their potential game-tying field goal hit the upright.
Despite winning their first three road games to recover from a 1-3 start, the team lost the final four games of the season. The last loss, at home to Duke, came after Wake Forest had a 14-point lead but was overtaken by a 39-yard touchdown pass from Duke as time expired. This crushing defeat, along with struggles at home, marked the end of Clawson’s time at Wake Forest.
