Agree he’s not a splash hire - Leach and Kiffin check that box but others on here tell me one or both are too controversial.
Also beat A&M in a bowl game. Something Arkansas has t done in going on a decade.
Also beat the Memphis Fighting Norvells in a bowl game.
One other thing to remember - Wake is one of the two hardest jobs to win at in the ACC and Hunter knows this better than most.
Louisville team he beat was QB’d by Superman.
“Taking all of the above in to account I predict the next coach will be Dave Clawson.” “Checks a bunch of boxes and flying under the radar.”
Just wondered what a bunch of the boxes are.
I’ve told you what I think they are:
P5 coach
Proven builder of programs
Does well with lesser talent on paper - I’d say most of his wins in the ACC were against teams with higher recruiting rankings.
I think comfort level for Hunter is likely another one. Don’t know that for sure, but Hunter worked for and has a good relationship with the AD that hired Clawson and gave him an extension before retiring.
I really like Clawson. He’s rebuilt 4 programs. He’s taken over some bad team and made the first three double digit win teams by the time he left. The only exception is Wake. They currently sit at 8-3 with a game against Syracuse, and a bowl game. So he may be four for four by the end of this season (turning programs into double digit winners). He checks the boxes for me as well (are my boxes the same as HY’s?).
My only issue, is most casual fans, will say WHO? And if he has the season I expect any coach to have next year here (no matter who the coach is, I think four wins will be overachieving) a lot of those that don’t know a lot about him will think he’s another Morris type hire and not put butts in seats. Will the HY, BOT, and fan base give him time to rebuild? A guy like Kiffin or Leach (and I don’t necessarily want either) would bring a level of enthusiasm we are currently lacking and because of their names, the casual fans would be more willing to give them time. JMO
Edit: and Clawson is #1 on my personal list
Yes he did - as you can imagine I watched every minute of it!
He is not in my top 5 and would not be a good hire here. Rutgers I can see but not here! He wouldn’t excite the fan base at all and we definitely need that!
It’s not really about exciting the casual fans or fans in general. It’s about exciting people like Burks and Boyd and future Razorbacks. Can he do that, that’s the real question.
Without arguing with you, he’s is the coach we need, but as I said and you alluded to, the fan base wouldn’t want him. The rebuild will be slow, and there maybe a handful of names that the fan base would be willing to give time to. His name isn’t one. I’m not sure either PJ Fleck or Matt Campbell would get the fan “vote of approval” either.
I think Campbell would because the national pundits would hail it, and rightfully so, as a homerun.
So we should hire him because he beat a terrible FSU team that fired their coach?
I don’t think he would be well received, at all. He’s a good coach. But the average fan isn’t going to dig into it. They will see 36-38 at wake Forrest in the ACC, and say “here we go again, another losing record”. (Obviously that would be not counting his other head coaching stops.
He’s good, and would do well here I’m sure. Don’t think it’s the best available by any means though.
Seats still have to be filled. And if the “big boosters” are ready to pony up, like they are supposedly, this wouldn’t be the guy they drop the big bucks on
He is a less successful Willie Fritz IMO.
I’m not sure exciting the average fan is a top 5 concern … I think the ability to recruit, do more with less, has experience with a rebuild and has had success would be way above getting me excited. But maybe not…
Winning will excite the fan base… I know some are into the press conference rhetoric but winning football games makes you a winner at the press conference…
Not worried about how much he excites the fans.
Can he excite recruits other than 2-3 star ones?
And has he ever recruited this area? Does have the all important Texas connections?
ProbAbly not
When you’re losing 7 figures per game in ticket sales/concessions… it might better be in your top 5.