Former Wake Forest Demon Deacons head coach Dave Clawson. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Dave Clawson out at Wake Forest after 11 seasons

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Dec 16, 2024 4:44 PM ET

Wake Forest head football coach Dave Clawson has made a major decision about his future.

Clawson has decided to retire after 11 seasons as coach, the school announced Monday. He will remain with the school as a special advisor to the athletics department.

“After completing my 25th season as a head coach and 36th-straight in college football, the timing is right for me and my family to step away into this new role within Wake Forest University,” Clawson said in a statement.

Clawson is only 57, so the timing of the decision comes as a surprise. Roughly three years ago, he was being linked to other job openings and was obviously not seen as a candidate to retire anytime soon.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that the changing college athletics environment was a factor in Clawson’s decision, just as it was for Tony Bennett’s shocking decision to leave Virginia’s basketball program several months ago.

Sources told ESPN that Clawson simply felt like it was time. It’s comparable to recent move made by coaches like Virginia’s Tony Bennett and Washington’s Chris Petersen, who stepped away amid a changing era in the sport.

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 16, 2024

Clawson largely stabilized the Wake Forest program, which is not known as a college football power. He went 67-69 in his 11 seasons there, including an 11-3 campaign in 2021. He also had stops at Fordham, Richmond, and Bowling Green during his lengthy career.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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