Clawson Named to Paul “Bear” Bryant Award Coach of the Year Watch List
10/19/2022 12:37:00 PM | Football
Wake Forest’s head coach is one of 25 listed on the Watch List.
HOUSTON – Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson was named to the Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards Coach of the Year Watch List, as announced by the American Heart Association, the Bryant Family and Bryant Awards Executive Leadership Team on Wednesday afternoon.
Clawson, who is in his ninth year as the Demon Deacons head coach, is one of 25 head coaches named to the list on Wednesday. The award is given annually to a college football coach for contributions that make the sport better for athletes and fans alike by demonstrating grit, integrity and a winning approach to coaching and life -- both on and off the field.
The Coach of the Year will be announced in January. Last season, Clawson was one of nine finalists for the award in addition to being named the 2021 ACC Coach of the Year by the league and Associated Press.
Coach Clawson's 13th-ranked football team is ready to host Boston College on Saturday afternoon inside Truist Field at 3:30 p.m. Last Sunday's Associated Press Top 25 Poll marked the eighth time the Deacons have been ranked inside the top 15 in the past calendar year. Prior to this current run, Wake Forest had only been ranked that high just three times since 1950. The Deacs latest top 15-ranking came after our third-straight win over Florida State. That victory was our first in Tallahassee since 2008 and was Wake Forest's sixth win over a ranked opponent in the last seven years.
Additionally the Demon Deacons have now been ranked in 20 consecutive polls which is tied for the sixth longest streak in the country and more than doubling the previous program record of eight-consecutive weeks.
Since the start of the 2016 season, the Deacs are tied for the second-most wins in the ACC not counting the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Additionally over the last five years, the Deacs have recorded the fourth-most wins in a single five-year period.
After scoring 44 points in Week 1 vs. VMI, 45 points in Week 2 at Vanderbilt, 37 points in Week 3 vs. Liberty, 45 points in Week 4 vs. Clemson, 31 points in Week 5 at Florida State and 45 points in Week 6 vs. Army, Wake Forest's 247 total points ranks as the highest mark in program history through six games.
Six games into the 2022 season, Wake Forest is averaging 41.2 points per game. Entering the 2022 season, Wake Forest is the only program in the ACC to average at least 30.0 per game in each of the last five seasons, the fourth longest streak in ACC history.
Wake Forest has sold out its last three home games for the first time since 2011. Additionally, two of Wake Forest's first three games have brought record student crowds, including over 80 percent of the student body in attendance for the Deacs Sept. 24 matchup with the Tigers.
Dave Clawson is now 56-49 in his nine-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 he has 146 career victories as he is in his 23rd season as a head coach.
He currently ranks 15th among active head coaches in career wins.
