Dave Clawson has been pivotal in overhauling the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and has had several salary raises and contract extensions as a reward for his hard work. While he might not be the highest-paid coach in college football, what salary will Clawson earn in 2023, what does his contract look like, and what is the net worth of the Wake Forest head coach?
Dave Clawson’s Salary and Contract in 2023
As Wake Forest is a private school, they aren’t under any obligation to provide information on Clawson as it relates to his salary or his contract. While we don’t know the exact amount that the Demon Deacons head coach will be paid in 2023, there are some historical figures that can help to give a rough estimate of the price of success in Winston-Salem.
According to USA Today’s coaching salaries database, Clawson made $3.61 million in 2021. That’s a steep increase on the $2.3 million made in 2020. In the two seasons prior, Clawson’s salary had increased by between $200,000 and $300,000 each year.
However, in 2020, Clawson took a 10% pay cut to help the program offset the financial burden of the global pandemic. Regardless, the $3.61 million made in 2021 — the year that Wake Forest went to the ACC Championship Game — is a small price to pay relative to other coaches in college football, especially when you consider the success that Clawson has brought to the program.
During his tenure, Clawson has compiled a 59-53 record with Wake Forest, leading them to winning campaigns in six of his nine seasons at the helm. Furthermore, Clawson’s Demon Deacons are 5-2 in bowl games, finished runner-up in the ACC in 2021, and he was named the 2021 ACC Coach of the Year.
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Given previous season-to-season incremental increases, a best guess of Clawson’s salary for 2023 would be around $4.3 million. However, with Wake Forest under no obligation to declare any of the detail of his contract, we have little to no idea what the base salary, supplemental compensation, or results-based incentives may look like.
As a result of his success, Clawson has received multiple contract extensions since arriving in Winston-Salem in 2014. Early in 2017, it was announced that the Wake Forest head coach had signed an extension through the 2024 season. Two years later, Clawson signed another contract extension that took him through 2026.
In the midst of the most successful season for the Demon Deacons since 2006, Clawson signed another contract extension. While being deemed a long-term contract extension, the exact end date was never revealed. Given the length of previous extensions, however, it wouldn’t be a surprise if that contract was a 10-year deal that would last until 2031.
Clawson’s Net Worth
Given the secrecy surrounding Wake Forest and Clawson’s salary and contract, calculating his net worth is something of a fool’s errand. However, we’ve attempted to calculate Clawson’s net worth regardless. Fools.
If — and that is a big if — the contract extension signed in 2021 was for a further 10 years and Clawson’s current salary is just over $4 million, you’d be looking at a total net worth of around $43 million.
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However, that doesn’t take into account any potential incremental increases year on year. It also doesn’t factor in any results or academic-based financial rewards. Most teams offer additional bonuses for on and off-field success.
Ultimately, Clawson’s net worth to Wake Forest may be immeasurable. The former Bowling Green HC has been transformative for the program. Despite attracting attention from multiple programs before his latest contract extension, it seems like he won’t be moving on from Winston-Salem anytime soon.
