Clawson/Manning

[Turd Ferguson]

While not 100% impossible, I will say it is very unlikely Clawson is leaving after next season. His daughter will be graduating from Davidson in the Spring, meaning moving away anytime before May would be less than desirable. He and his wife have always been happy every time I've seen them out around town, he knows how much the fanbase likes him. He's got brand new facilities to work with. He is pretty cozy.

I'm pretty sure he also has a son who is graduating high school and ostensibly moving away to college, so that sort of mitigates the daughter in college bit. And yeah, not every program is going to get fired up about a Wake coach, but apparently WF is so lowf out there that the bowl winds and such recently have given Claw alot of street cred. And like I said, the biggest thing I took away is Claw is open to more schools than we take for granted here. Besides that, he's probably hit his ceiling here and is more attractive to other schools now while he looks like he turned around a dumpster fire than after he sits at mediocre for another five years. We will see...

 

[Pilchard]

Don't see linkage between Clawson and Manning, other than it would probably help football recruiting if WF basketball could offer a compelling product when football recruits take their campus visits. I know Duke football uses Duke basketball games as a major selling point.

WF has sweetened Clawson's deal already. Clawson can essentially stay at WF for as long as he wants. If WF has a historic season (10+ wins), Clawson will be a hot commodity after next season. WF would likely sweeten the pot again, but if a Notre Dame or Michigan or some other elite program comes calling, he will leave. If WF has a mediocre or worse season, Clawson won't leave unless he doesn't want to coach college football anymore. Don't really see a scenario where the state of the basketball program is the catalyst for Clawson leaving WF regardless if Manning leaves or stays.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Exactly, we've had this conversation ad nauseum. There are maybe a handful of top 25 programs that want a Clawson. Hiring the Wake coach is not going to fire up a fan base. Those that would hire him, are not really a step up from Wake. Michigan State job opening up worried me and Claws was barely discussed.

But I do agree that if we had to find $15m to get rid of Manning, and then $3-5m a year for the new guy we may have a hard time keeping Clawson happy and prevent him from making a lateral move for more money.

This is the more important piece. We act like short of Notre Dame or Stanford, Clawson wouldn't be interested. There are tons of schools in tons of places and tons of checkbooks out there. Also, Claw turns programs around, grows them. If he feels like he can't push Wake much further up then why wouldn't he move on to another challenge in an awesome city for same or more money and an easier time recruiting/retaining players?

 

[netflixnchildres]

The LOWF-based speculation runs rampant even in the off-season.

 

[Pilchard]

FWIW, no WF football coach has left the WF job for another college head job since Cal Stoll in 1971 (went to his alma mater Minnesota - Stoll was the first WF coach to win an ACC title). So, it's not like WF has had a history of football coaches using the WF job as a stepping stone. Maybe Clawson will be the first 40 years to do that, but for that to happen, WF would probably need to have a good, if not great, 2020 season. Will worry about Clawson's future when WF is positioning itself for the BCS playoff in November.

 

[Biff Tannen]

"Clawson's daughter will be a senior in college," has to be the weirdest rationalization I've ever heard for him not leaving for a huge payday. She's a young adult who has lived away from home for years.

 

[Pilchard]

"Clawson's daughter will be a senior in college," has to be the weirdest rationalization I've ever heard for him not leaving for a huge payday. She's a young adult who has lived away from home for years.

Generally agree, but she goes to Davidson and comes back for all or almost all of WF home games; she takes stats among other things. Clawson has talked about how much it has meant to him to have her on the sidelines.

 

[Biff Tannen]

You know what else means a lot ? An extra two million dollars a year. That's also enough money to have her get on a plane from Charlotte on Friday afternoon to fly to any college town in the nation 12 times before she graduates and takes a job as defensive coordinator.

 

[Pazdadeac]

Well here's my scoopla. From what I've heard, Clawson is gone after this season. Take it for what it's worth, but my "sauces" are not WF-related but work in the college sports industry. My hunch is they are right and he's looking to make a step up after this season.

Say it ain't so! I'm hoping you took one too many foul tips to the noggin! JK, I know you aren't starting anything, as you love MSD more than most. Thanks for sharing.. although I am now in a state of depression with the news.

 

[bigboy8]

Wake Forest is run by a bunch of idiots, why wouldnt he leave?

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Say it ain't so! I'm hoping you took one too many foul tips to the noggin! JK, I know you aren't starting anything, as you love MSD more than most. Thanks for sharing.. although I am now in a state of depression with the news.

Ha! Yeah definitely not starting anything. Just food for thought from guys that deal with this stuff everyday.

 

[netflixnchildres]

You know what else means a lot ? An extra two million dollars a year. That's also enough money to have her get on a plane from Charlotte on Friday afternoon to fly to any college town in the nation 12 times before she graduates and takes a job as defensive coordinator.

Imagine how many flights that could buy on Allegiant in Concord!!! Surely they will fly to all those bustling college town airports.

 

[RJKarl]

"Curry is being paid to figure that all out."

Clifford Curry? Stephen Curry? Denzel Curry? George Curry? Haskell Curry? Manfred, or wait for it, Aaron Curry? All would do better figuring this out as it would seem..living and dead. John Currie not so much.

Thus Curry?

 

[shogun6066]

The LOWF-based speculation runs rampant even in the off-season.

Totally.
If Wake is so LOWF that the LOWF people can't understand why anyone who has major talent and skill would want to be here... then why do the LOWF people want to be here either??

It's a shit attitude.

 

[Frosty]

FWIW, no WF football coach has left the WF job for another college head job since Cal Stoll in 1971 (went to his alma mater Minnesota - Stoll was the first WF coach to win an ACC title). So, it's not like WF has had a history of football coaches using the WF job as a stepping stone. Maybe Clawson will be the first 40 years to do that, but for that to happen, WF would probably need to have a good, if not great, 2020 season. Will worry about Clawson's future when WF is positioning itself for the BCS playoff in November.

That probably has more to do with most of our coaches sucking than not wanting to leave Wake though.

 

[PhDeac]

There’s a decent chance Clawson turned down Michigan State yet we are still having this conversation.

 

[Biff Tannen]

Scoooooop !

I mean, it makes perfect sense that Michigan State and its fans and administrators were so impressed with Clawson's team and the way he handled that bowl game against their second worst team in a decade, that they would definitely want to hire him on the spot.

 

[YankeeInAtlanta]

Wake won’t win as many games this season and may not even make a bowl game, which will keep Clawson from being an attractive candidate for other P5 programs.

 

[Deaconblue]

FWIW, no WF football coach has left the WF job for another college head job since Cal Stoll in 1971 (went to his alma mater Minnesota - Stoll was the first WF coach to win an ACC title). So, it's not like WF has had a history of football coaches using the WF job as a stepping stone. Maybe Clawson will be the first 40 years to do that, but for that to happen, WF would probably need to have a good, if not great, 2020 season. Will worry about Clawson's future when WF is positioning itself for the BCS playoff in November.

Since Cal Stoll departed for Minnesota, just under 50 seasons of Wake Forest football have happened.
The most common next stop for Wake head coaches has been NFL assistant coach. The coach and next stop list:

Cal Stoll -> Minnesota
Tom Harper -> world football league assistant
Chuck Mills -> Southern Oregon Athletic Director & Head coach
John Mackovic -> NFL assistant -> NFL head coach
Al Groh -> NFL assistant -> NFL head coach
Bill Dooley-> retirement
Jim Caldwell -> NFL assistant -> NFL head coach
Jim Grobe -> retirement (Baylor)
Dave Clawson -> ?

It is pretty remarkable that three Wake head coaches went on to become NFL head coaches.