Dave Clawson has officially stepped down as head coach of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in what could prove to be a mutually beneficial decision.
Clawson will stay on in an advisory role, but the job of leading the Demon Deacons forward will fall at the feet of his successor. Here are five potential replacements for Clawson at Wake Forest.
Replacement Candidates for Dave Clawson at Wake Forest
Dave Clawson is an objectively good football coach who succeeded where few others have succeeded. Clawson was a game away from becoming the fourth Wake Forest coach since 1900 to finish his tenure with a winning record and the first since 1950.
Clawson fell victim to a unique situation. Like a few other coaches in the sport, Clawson has struggled in the transfer portal era to reach the bar he set. College Football Network speculated throughout the year that a mutual parting could be in the works, and we linked him to other open jobs as well.
But Clawson isn’t going anywhere, as he’s reportedly staying on in an advisory role.
Wake Forest has struggled in the portal era. With stricter academic requirements, the Demon Deacons have consistently been transfer portal losers. Perhaps more importantly, Clawson never found a high-level quarterback after Sam Hartman transferred to Notre Dame after the 2022 season.
Now, the Demon Deacons will become the fifth of North Carolina’s seven FBS schools to conduct a coaching search in 2024.
They’ll likely look for a younger coach, preferrably one with experience recruiting at an elite academic institution. However, I can’t rule out an internal hire and there’s one candidate in particular that will have a great deal of support from the athletic department.
Warren Ruggiero (Wake Forest Offensive Coordinator)
Offensive coordinator Warren Ruggiero will get a legitimate look from the athletic department. Clawson’s right-hand man, Ruggiero has been the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Wake Forest since 2014. He’s developed numerous quarterbacks and had plenty of input on Clawson’s scheme and game plan.
Ruggiero has turned down head coaching jobs before, presumably because he loves Winston-Salem and the Wake Forest program. Now 58, he could get the opportunity to take over as the head coach.
Jeff Monken (Army Head Coach)
As head coach of the Army Black Knights, few people have been at a bigger disadvantage in the transfer portal era than Jeff Monken. Yet, the Black Knights have an opportunity to win 12 games this season.
Monken is a program-builder who has succeeded outside of the service academies as he led the Georgia Southern Eagles to their most productive three-year stretch in school history. His name has been floated for bigger jobs in the past and this could be the perfect fit.
Bob Chesney (James Madison Head Coach)
Bob Chesney is just finishing his first year in charge of an FBS program, but he’s a guy who could get looks for bigger jobs. He worked his way up from the Division II level while coaching at several prestigious private schools. He had a great year for the James Madison Dukes despite starting behind with a slew of transfers out of the program.
Chesney is known for his ability to develop players, especially quarterbacks, and he’s utilized the transfer portal to his advantage before.
Tim Beck (Vanderbilt Offensive Coordinator)
Tim Beck had a fantastic season as the offensive coordinator for the Vanderbilt Commodores and has a tremendous 82-35 record as a head coach at Pittsburg State, including a Division II National Championship in 2011.
Beck and the Commodores embraced both Name, Image, and Likeness and the transfer portal this season, which led to the first bowl under Clark Lea. His willingness to adapt would be attractive to the Demon Deacons. Wake Forest athletic director John Currie was with the Kansas State Wildcats when Beck was winning at Pittsburg State.
Neal Brown (Former West Virginia Mountaineers Head Coach)
I don’t necessarily think the Demon Deacons will lean in this direction, but early reports show that Currie likes the idea of Neal Brown in Winston-Salem. Brown was never really accepted by the West Virginia Mountaineers, and there are plenty within the industry who think he’ll have a head coaching job in 2025.
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Brown is one of the early names to watch but watch out for potential demands on both sides before this would be a real chance. Brown would need to prove he has a plan for the transfer portal at a school that has struggled in recent seasons to make headway.
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