Currently: Head coach, Wake Forest
Resume: Clawson just completed his 19th season as a head coach. He's the definition of a grinder, moving up the ladder from Fordham to Richmond to Bowling Green to Wake Forest. He has greatly improved the win total everywhere he's been and is the first coach in Wake Forest history to win three straight bowl games. The next logical step is to take his shot at a Power Five school that has more tradition and a better chance to win than Wake.
Salary/Buyout: $2.189 million salary / Buyout = Unknown
Pros: Clawson has won everywhere he's been. He's experienced, he's built programs, he fits the profile of, say, Gary Pinkel, who worked his way up the ladder before getting the job at Missouri. If you can win in Winston-Salem, you can win a lot of places.
Cons: He's not going to make a big splash with the fanbase. It's not the most exciting hire. He won't get things going overnight. But this would easily be the best situation he's ever taken over in five different stops. He's been almost exclusively an East Coast coach with no ties to any area Missouri recruits significantly. He also signed an extension through 2026. With the buyout unknown, would the cost to get him be worth it?
Our Take: Clawson fits the profile of what it takes to be successful at Missouri. It's not going to blow anyone away, but it would be a very similar hire to Pinkel and that worked out okay.