Five Questions: Ryan Janvion
7/13/2023 11:43:00 AM | Football
“I know Clawson always has the mentality of striving to be better, even when they’re at the top, and that’s what makes him one of the best coaches in the nation.” - Ryan Janvion
Former Wake Forest defensive back Ryan Janvion completed his Demon Deacon career in 2016 with 322 tackles, two interceptions and three fumble recoveries. He grabbed four tackles in a Wake Forest Military Bowl victory over Temple — the first of a program record seven-straight bowl appearances. He now lives in Boston, where he's the Strategic Accounts Manager for Medisafe, a medication engagement platform which also has a mobile app.
He recently chatted with Deacon Sports Xtra for this Five Questions feature.
What are your thoughts on former teammate Wendell Dunn coming back to campus to serve in the Director of Player Development role for the program?
Janvion: "That's the perfect position for Wendell, but also for the football team to invest in. We didn't have that during my time. Looking back, I realize how young and raw I was. There's so many things thrown at you, and so many decisions. You don't have the perspective of taking advantage of all the opportunities you have both on and off the field. There are so many resources. You can tap into an alumni network, just because you're a Wake Forest student-athlete. To have a Wendell Dunn at your disposal, to help show you how you can leverage your platform long-term is just massive. He was an awesome player and a great captain."
How did the locker room react in 2014 when head coach Dave Clawson was hired and immediately started sharing the vision of making Wake Forest a championship program?
Janvion: "For a lot of guys, we immediately bought into Clawson's idea, invested in them and then doubled down. But there were several who left the program or didn't do well, who thought he was crazy. You can easily see who those people were. Those who believe they can and those who believe they can't are usually both right. When that change happened, going into 2015 and 2016, we started to see the locker room flip. Now you had this core group of guys who believed we could do something special, and it caught onto the broader team.
"For anyone that knows anything about Clawson, that's never his mentality. I know Clawson always has the mentality of striving to be better, even when they're at the top, and that's what makes him one of the best coaches in the nation. Wake Forest did a great job of getting him and keeping him. I'm excited to see what he's going to accomplish moving forward."
The program was just starting to get rolling during your time, and of course the first two seasons saw you guys struggle with back-to-back 3-9 campaigns. How do you look at the current success they're having?
Janvion: "It's been one of the things that has made me most proud in my life. It comes up in interviews all the time. Just being a part of the Wake Forest program, but being there in a unique time where you saw the old change to the new. I got to see a program that was not doing well, flip, and then take off. To believe I was an integral part of that is one of the proudest things I can say. The personal lessons that I learned, but also the pride that I have as a Wake Forest alum, to say I was part of that change is something that nobody can take away from me."
How hard was it to turn the program into a winning program, and then to take it to a championship level from there?
Janvion: "It's one thing to see it on TV and watch the game, but people don't understand the process. That doesn't just happen in football, it happens in other organizations as well. To go from not being good to one of the best. The way Clawson approached that situation is very much how a CEO would approach the situation, when you come and take over an unhealthy, underperforming organization. For me, it means everything to be a part of it. It's incredible to speak to the team. I get to see them when they come to Boston College."
How is life in Boston?
Janvion: "I love Boston. I've started a fun career and I'm surrounded by a lot of talented people. It's just a great place to be. I'm starting to enjoy the different seasons, and even take in the coldness. I bought a snowboard a couple years ago. For a Miami boy who was a fish out of water at first, I'm adapting well. Just working outside in the cold was a bit of a struggle at first. Boston is a good place to be. I'm looking to go back to grad school to get my MBA part time over the next year, using the scholarship money from the Scholar Athlete of the Year Award from the Football Foundation."
He recently chatted with Deacon Sports Xtra for this Five Questions feature.
What are your thoughts on former teammate Wendell Dunn coming back to campus to serve in the Director of Player Development role for the program?
Janvion: "That's the perfect position for Wendell, but also for the football team to invest in. We didn't have that during my time. Looking back, I realize how young and raw I was. There's so many things thrown at you, and so many decisions. You don't have the perspective of taking advantage of all the opportunities you have both on and off the field. There are so many resources. You can tap into an alumni network, just because you're a Wake Forest student-athlete. To have a Wendell Dunn at your disposal, to help show you how you can leverage your platform long-term is just massive. He was an awesome player and a great captain."
How did the locker room react in 2014 when head coach Dave Clawson was hired and immediately started sharing the vision of making Wake Forest a championship program?
Janvion: "For a lot of guys, we immediately bought into Clawson's idea, invested in them and then doubled down. But there were several who left the program or didn't do well, who thought he was crazy. You can easily see who those people were. Those who believe they can and those who believe they can't are usually both right. When that change happened, going into 2015 and 2016, we started to see the locker room flip. Now you had this core group of guys who believed we could do something special, and it caught onto the broader team.
"For anyone that knows anything about Clawson, that's never his mentality. I know Clawson always has the mentality of striving to be better, even when they're at the top, and that's what makes him one of the best coaches in the nation. Wake Forest did a great job of getting him and keeping him. I'm excited to see what he's going to accomplish moving forward."
The program was just starting to get rolling during your time, and of course the first two seasons saw you guys struggle with back-to-back 3-9 campaigns. How do you look at the current success they're having?
Janvion: "It's been one of the things that has made me most proud in my life. It comes up in interviews all the time. Just being a part of the Wake Forest program, but being there in a unique time where you saw the old change to the new. I got to see a program that was not doing well, flip, and then take off. To believe I was an integral part of that is one of the proudest things I can say. The personal lessons that I learned, but also the pride that I have as a Wake Forest alum, to say I was part of that change is something that nobody can take away from me."
How hard was it to turn the program into a winning program, and then to take it to a championship level from there?
Janvion: "It's one thing to see it on TV and watch the game, but people don't understand the process. That doesn't just happen in football, it happens in other organizations as well. To go from not being good to one of the best. The way Clawson approached that situation is very much how a CEO would approach the situation, when you come and take over an unhealthy, underperforming organization. For me, it means everything to be a part of it. It's incredible to speak to the team. I get to see them when they come to Boston College."
How is life in Boston?
Janvion: "I love Boston. I've started a fun career and I'm surrounded by a lot of talented people. It's just a great place to be. I'm starting to enjoy the different seasons, and even take in the coldness. I bought a snowboard a couple years ago. For a Miami boy who was a fish out of water at first, I'm adapting well. Just working outside in the cold was a bit of a struggle at first. Boston is a good place to be. I'm looking to go back to grad school to get my MBA part time over the next year, using the scholarship money from the Scholar Athlete of the Year Award from the Football Foundation."
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