Clawson named new football coach at Bowling Green

Dec 12, 2008 - 3:55 PM BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (Ticker) -- Dave Clawson did not stay unemployed for long.

Clawson was officially named as Bowling Green's new head coach Friday, less than two weeks after being fired as Tennessee's offensive coordinator.

A head coach in the Football Championship Subdivision for nine seasons from 1999-2007, Clawson moved up to the FBS when he joined Phillip Fulmer's Tennessee coaching staff on January 12.

But following a 5-7 season, Tennessee replaced Fulmer with Lane Kiffin, who opted against keeping Clawson as the Volunteers' offensive coordinator.

But Clawson quickly found a job at Bowling Green, which went 6-6 overall and 4-4 in the Mid-American Conference this past season under Gregg Brandon.

"It is an honor and a thrill to be given this opportunity to coach football at Bowling Green State University," Clawson said. "To be named the head coach of a football program that is filled with a rich history is a dream come true.

"The ability to work at a first-rate academic school and to compete in a conference that is competitive year in and year out excites me to be a Falcon."

Clawson, 41, presided over an unimpressive offense at Tennessee, which ranked 11th in the 12-team SEC in both total offense (268.8 yards per game) and scoring (17.3 ppg).

But Clawson has put together an impressive resume as a head coach, posting a 58-49 record. He spent the 2007 season as the head coach at Richmond, which went 11-3 and lost to Appalachian State in the FCS semifinals.

Clawson began his head coaching career in 1999 at Fordham, where he went just 3-19 in his first two seasons. But the Rams enjoyed a successful turnaround under the Youngstown, New York native, going 26-10 over the next three years.

Clawson also got off to a slow start at Richmond, going 3-8 in his first season (2004) before coaching the Spiders to a 26-12 record in the next three campaigns.

Up next for Clawson is the task of replacing Brandon, who was fired November 29 after posting a 44-30 record in his six seasons with the Falcons.

Bowling Green has been to just one bowl game - last season's GMAC Bowl - in the last four years.