Wake Forest Demon Deacons agree to long-term contract extension with coach Dave Clawson

ByDAVID HALE
November 26, 2021, 8:09 PM

Wake Forest has agreed to a long-term contract extension with head coach Dave Clawson, the school announced Friday. The move comes as Wake closes in on a berth in the ACC championship game, which it can secure with a win over Boston College on Saturday.

Clawson is 49-47 in eight years as the head coach at Wake Forest, but he's taken the Deacons to five straight bowl games and led the team to its highest ranking -- No. 9 in the College Football Playoff committee's ranking two weeks ago -- in program history.

Clawson was rumored to be among the top candidates for the head-coaching job at Virginia Tech and figured to be a hot commodity during what is shaping up as one of the busiest years of coaching turnover in recent history.

"Earlier this fall, John approached me about the university's interest in extending our relationship and furthering the long-term investment in our program and staff," Clawson said in a statement. "Continuity of our staff has been a key factor in the success of our program and this is another key step in ensuring that we have the resources necessary to compete for championships and sustain and enhance the level of success our student-athletes have achieved on and off the field."

Terms of the contract were not released, but an increase in budget for assistants and support staff was one of Clawson's key priorities.

The school has dramatically upgraded its facilities under Clawson, and with a $20 million donation from booster Bob McCreary earlier this fall, it plans to build a new football building on campus as well.

Clawson inherited one of the worse rosters in the Power 5 when he took over in 2014, but after two rebuilding years in which the Demon Deacons finished 3-9 in each, Wake has blossomed into a consistent winner.

This year's Deacons are in position to become just the second 10-win team in program history, as well as possibly earning its first ACC championship since 2006.

"Dave Clawson is an elite coach, leader and program builder and we are excited to announce this reaffirmation of his long-term commitment to Wake Forest University," said Currie, who inherited Clawson from longtime AD Ron Wellman. "Our desire is for him to finish his coaching career as Wake Forest's all-time winningest coach. Coach Clawson and his staff have brought an unprecedented amount of success to Demon Deacon football and he is truly one of the elite coaches in the country. Thanks to his leadership, our football student-athletes have experienced a school-record six-straight bowl games while continuing to raise the standard of excellence in the classroom and community."