Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson inks long-term contract extension

Wake Forest has agreed to a long-term contract extension with football coach Dave Clawson, the school announced Friday. The Demon Deacons coach has previously been named as a candidate for several open jobs around the country.

He led Wake Forest to an 8-0 start and its highest ever AP Poll ranking (No. 10) this season, and currently has the team at 9-2. Including this year, Wake Forest has won nine games in a season just three times in program history (2006, 11-3; 2007, 9-4). The six ACC wins this fall are tied for the most league victories in program history (2006). If the Demon Deacons beat Boston College on Saturday, they are guaranteed a spot in the ACC Championship Game.

Exact details of the length and amount of the contract have yet to be released. Per the USA Today Coaches’ Salary Database, Clawson is making $3.6 million this season at Wake Forest – a $1.3 million jump from a year ago.

This season’s success isn’t an outlier, either. The coach since 2014, Clawson has led the Demon Deacons to six consecutive bowl appearances. He is now 49-47 in his eight-year tenure with the Demon Deacons. He is one just five head coaches in program history to have a winning record in his coaching career at Wake Forest and the first since D.C. “Peahead” Walker (1937-50) to do so.

Clawson is set to finish his 22nd season as a collegiate head coach and has a career record of 139-127. His 139 victories rank him 16th in career wins among active Division I FBS head coaches.

Prior to taking over at Wake Forest, Clawson spent five seasons as the head coach at Bowling Green. He helped lead the Falcons to a 10-4 record in his final season (2013) and a MAC championship.

The contract extension of Dave Clawson should give Wake football fans some peace of mind as the season comes to a close. Now the team can be mostly free of outside distractions as it focuses on claiming an ACC championship and New Year’s Six Bowl appearance.

Kickoff between the Demon Deacons and Boston College is set for noon ET on Saturday. The ACC Championship game is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Dec. 4 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.