Former Appalachian State head coach and current UCF offensive line coach Shawn Clark died on Sunday at the age of 50. On Monday, Tennessee’s Joey Aguilar, a former player of his at the Mountaineers, took to his Instagram account to pay his respects.
The quarterback posted a picture of himself and the coach during their days at Appalachian State, and added the following caption:
“CAN’T THANK YOU ENOUGH, COACH! FOREVER LOVE 🕊️ 🖤🧡”
Aguilar was the starting quarterback for the Mountaineers between 2023 and 2024, leading them to a 13-11 record over that time period. The signal-caller’s most successful season so far was 2023, when he won the Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year award and was named a second-team All-Sun Belt selection.
The Mountaineers ended the season with an 8-5 record, runners-up in the Sun Belt championship game, and a victory in the Cure Bowl over Miami (OH).
UCF’s Scott Frost Statement on Death of Shawn Clark
There isn’t much detail on the condition that led to Shawn Clark’s death. It’s only known that he had been admitted to an Orlando hospital on Sept. 9 with an unknown medical emergency.
Allegedly, he had been improving and was stable just before he passed away. His wife, Jonelle, was by his side at the time of his death. In the aftermath, UCF Knights head coach Scott Frost offered the following statement:
“Shawn was so much more than a coach. He was a remarkable man, husband, and father who cared deeply about his players and staff. The reaction of our players and coaches to the news this morning is a testament to Shawn’s character and the impact he had on every life that he touched. He was loved. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Jonelle, and children, Giana and Braxton.”
Clark had been with the Knights since 2025. Before he had a lengthy tenure at Appalachian State between 2016 and 2024, where he held several coaching positions and was in charge of the program between 2020 and 2024. He was an alumnus of the school, being an offensive lineman with the Mountaineers between 1994 and 1998.
Shawn Clark also coached as a graduate assistant at Louisville and as an offensive line coach at Eastern Kentucky, Purdue, and Kent State.
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