University of Richmond head football coach Dave Clawson is the latest candidate to interview for Tennessee's vacant offensive coordinator position, sources told the News Sentinel.
Clawson spent Monday in Knoxville interviewing with UT coach Phillip Fulmer, the third known candidate to interview for the job since David Cutcliffe left Dec. 15 to become Duke's head coach.
Other possible candidates, according to sources, are former Michigan assistants Mike DeBord, and Scott Loeffler. Loeffler interviewed with Fulmer before the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla.
Clemson offensive coordinator Rob Spence and San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti also interviewed for the job.
Spence told reporters he'd remain at Clemson shortly before the Chick-fil-A Bowl and reaffirmed that Sunday in the Charleston (S.C.) Post and Courier. Also Sunday, Cal named Cignetti its offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
UT also spoke with former assistant Kippy Brown, who has since been promoted from wide receivers coach to passing game coordinator by the Detroit Lions.
Clawson, 40, has been with the Spiders since 2004.
A phone call to Clawson's office went unanswered Monday evening.
Prior to joining Richmond, Clawson was the head coach for five seasons at Fordham and offensive coordinator at Villanova for three seasons. While at Villanova, he coached Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook.
In the last two seasons at Richmond, the Spiders' offense has set a school record with 8,817 total yards.
This season, Richmond finished 11-3, losing to eventual national champion Appalachian State 55-35 in the playoffs.
Richmond's rushing offense averaged 234.6 yards per game and ranked 12th in the NCAA's Football Championship Subdivison (formerly Division I-AA).
The Spiders were 16th in scoring offense with an average of nearly 35 points a game, however they ranked 84th in passing offense with 170.8 yards per game.
DeBord has had two stints as Michigan's offensive coordinator/tight ends coach. Loeffler has been the Wolverines' quarterbacks coach the past five seasons.
DeBord, 51, was Michigan's offensive coordinator when the Wolverines won the 1997 national title and held the post through 1999 before taking the head coaching job at Central Michigan.
DeBord returned to Michigan in 2004 and spent the next two seasons as special teams coach and recruiting coordinator before being elevated back to offensive coordinator the past two seasons.
Mike Griffith contributed to this report.
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Comments » 172
dkerr#270212 writes:
I like this guy.
dfreeman writes:
umm... what?? Ok, I did a double take on this one!! Mildly exciting, extremely scarey! He went sooooo far outside the family with this one, they'll have to tell this guy what the school colors are!! LOL Might be the best hire ever who knows til they get here right??
GerryOP writes:
Don't think so.... But, with less than 24 hours left on Good Ol' Phil's self-imposed semi-deadline, guess he is still looking for a rabbit to pull out of the hat.
TommyJack writes:
http://richmondspiders.cstv.com/sport...
Is this the guy?
rabidvol1998 writes:
I like this guy. Let' go. Been an OC and a head coach. His bio is excellent. Young enough to maybe be the next HC at UT when Fulmer retire in 8 years.
VolsorCat writes:
Just a little info: More can be found at
http://richmondspiders.cstv.com/sport...
Clawson, who was named the Patriot League Coach of the Year twice at Fordham, was awarded the 2005 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year in only his second year in the league. It marked his third Conference Coach of the Year honor in his first seven years as a head coach.
National honors came Clawson's way that same season as he garnered the National Coach of the Year award from I-AA.org. That award made Clawson a two-time national award honoree, earning it once at two different schools. Clawson was also given both the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association (VaSID) Commonwealth Coach of the Year honor and the Richmond Touchdown Club College Coach of the Year award over the likes of Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer and Virginia's Al Groh.
Not a big name guy, but he seems to know something about coaching at the D1-AA. Not real excited about this, but willing to give him a chance. I don't see this pulling in any recruits......
TommyJack writes:
tapjr: EIGHT YEARS??
pdhuff#552644 writes:
TJ, Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet, eating her curds and whey, along came a........I just can't do it.
Just do something.
justingh1 writes:
Whatta joke Villanova Fordham Richmond.I bet he told Fulmer I sa promase sir I's a bee gud an do whevur yu's a teell me a do.I've always said nobody pulls a rabbit out of the hat like Fulmer but I was thinking Malzahne not some bum from Richmond Ole phil has let me down on this one.
TommyJack writes:
PD: Should be no threat to the Big'Un. He said he was gonna search the whole scenario!
LSU beginning to play SEC ball.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
True TJ, long way to go . But remember OSU ran back the opening K-Off and then went away last year. Strength punishes, but speed kills. We could have a Spider!
rabidvol1998 writes:
Justingh1 - give us more than sarcasm. Excellence is excellence. one of the coaches in the NC game tonite is in his third NC game this decade. Where did he come from .. .? Youngstown St.
TommyJack writes:
tapjr: A fair point. But whattabout that 8 yrs?
nicavol writes:
I like him. He has an "attacking offense" so maybe the 3 yard dinks on 1st down and throws to the sideline will be a thing of the past. Lets sign him and then get the MI QB coach as QB coach.
rabidvol1998 writes:
TJ - Could be 6 or 7. I think he will want to get 200 wins. That would be a great milestone.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
TJ, tapjr has turned me to the Maloxx. 8 yrs for what?
TommyJack writes:
Me 2, PD. If it's 8 more, I'm buying KK stock.
txvolsfan writes:
Thank TJ
Guy sounds good to me and he physically fit for the negative people
TXVOLSFAN
TommyJack writes:
txvols: Looks a little skinny to me! Just kiddin.:)
vol52 writes:
TommyJack What about the moon pies?
Richmondvol writes:
I live in Richmond. I went to UT, am a die hard Vol, season ticket holder, etc, but I live in Richmond, two miles from the Univ of Richmond so I follow them closely. This guys seems to be the real deal. Sort of reminds me of Cut, but younger and more creative. Disciplined, no BS, well respected by his players, and very creative on offense. Richmond is not an easy place to win and he has done very well in a short period of time. That said, Richmond is one of the best schools in the country academically speaking. Not sure the Vols can handle the playbook the way the Spiders can. I think this would be a good hire...would rather see this than Adkins which is where we are headed I am afraid...
cnalumni writes:
Richmond Who????
TommyJack writes:
RichmondVol: What a cheap shot re the playbook. Man that was low-down.
TommyJack writes:
Vol52: Don't have'em where I live (TX)..found their website, will order. Now if I could just find an RC!
ronnpaula7#225022 writes:
This guy looks pretty good.
Here are his awards:
-- 2005 I-AA.org National Coach of the Year
-- 2005 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year
-- 2005 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award Finalist
-- 2002 Schutt Sports/American Football Monthly I-AA National Coach of the Year
-- 2002 Patriot League Coach of the Year
-- 2001 Patriot League Co-Coach of the Year
dfreeman writes:
TommyJack - just go to Bryson City, NC for the RC there is a distribution plant there!! What part of Texas?? What is there to do in Austin? My wife and I have a family reunion there this summer!!
SmokeDog72 writes:
He must approve of the sacred charts.
RealistVolFan writes:
Is this really where Tennessee is now? We couldn't even hire the quarterback of Alex Smith...Mikey H is turning this program into a laughing stock. Honestly, if you are going to hire a 1-AA coach, why would you go anywhere outside of Boone, North Carolina?
This is a joke.
dfreeman writes:
who cares what Eddie George has to say about Ohio State!! He said he voted for Charles Woodsen simply because "Manning couldn't beat Fla."!! Thus rendering his opinion useless!! Sorry, watching halftime bs and they were asking Eddie what he thought about the game... My opinion... Ohio State is showing why there needs to be a playoff system!! Not to mention our beloved Vols beat Eddie and his overrated Buckeyes in his last bowl game!!!! Wrong story!! Sorry Guys!!
bobo_the_vol writes:
I'm a student at App State and I was sitting on the 50 yard line during the Richmond game. I'll be honest, I was pretty impressed with their offense, as young as they were they were recruited by this guy. (their defense is another story .. can you say 313 yards for Armanti Edwards ;) ) But their offense played well against a very, very, very good App D.
I like the jab at a new guy :)
BigOrangeJeff writes:
GOP, you're still getting it wrong. Fulmer said from the get-go that he hoped to have someone in place by 1/8, but has consistently maintained that it was NOT a drop-dead date.
So go ahead and read what you want into the articles. Keep putting words in Fulmer's mouth. Go on hating Fulmer. Stay in your miserable existence. Keep doing all of this, but do all of us - and yourself - a huge favor. Find another team.
TommyJack writes:
Dfreeman: About 20 miles N of SA..65 or so min. from The Peoples Republic of Austin. Actually, there's everything available there...lakes, rivers, hill country, nitelife, good food...Pretty area. Neat city....
I think I've seen RC's in country stores here. (But no moon pies!)
dfreeman writes:
bobo_the_vol - wish the weather was right for skiing!! I miss skiing up there!! Very fond memories hanging out in Boone!!
agentorange writes:
ron paul for oc
agentorange writes:
btw, tennessean.com is posting all these stories before kns.
dfreeman writes:
TommyJack - LOL I live in Chattanooga!! I'll send you a case!! How far is Houston from Austin??
TommyJack writes:
Gerry: I never got the impression you live a miserable existence. Do you? lol
utwick writes:
This candidate may be ready to step up to the plate. He has won and has turned programs around. A lot of big time coaches started at smaller schools, so let's not snicker at that. If he ends up being offered the job, we would still need some assistants who can make up for the recruiting punch we had with TT and Cut. Obviously this name is not going to bowl over some recruits like a Norm Chow might, but I don't know if Spence from Clemson would have either. Time will tell. Maybe we'll hear something soon and can move on to recruiting.
GerryOP writes:
You're absolutely right BigOJ, Good Ol' Teflon Phil. Won't commit to nothin' he might be held to. Whay a guy, our hero!
justin35us#209705 writes:
Isn't it time for a certain writer for KNS to post another speculative article based on no development other than a guy stating the obvious, such as he would stay if promoted to OC.?
I.E. Trooper Taylor staying?
First the writer pushed the Crompton issue and now he seems dedicated to seeing Trooper stay.
I like the idea of Clawson, proven record of improvement with each job and a wide range of experience. I would like to see what else is possible. I saw thatUCLA wants Chow as OC, if that happens it will be ugly. Long shot I'm sure, he will likely end up in Hawaii.
GerryOP writes:
Not me TJ! Actually, a pretty good existence! ;>)
TommyJack writes:
dreeman: Houston would be about 2.5 hrs. from Austin.
grogpaw#362163 writes:
Phil Fulmer causes global warming.
GerryOP writes:
Sorry! Actually (10:33), "What a guy, our hero!" But you get my drift.
TommyJack writes:
grogpaw: Wrong. Phil Fulmer causes global tectonic plate shifting (with his vertical leaps).
ThaiVolFan writes:
I was skeptical at first because I didn't recognize his name. After researching him a little, he seems like an okay fit and a good coach on the rise. We'll see.
Should all be settled in no more than 2 days one way or the other.
Go Vols
TommyJack writes:
Geoff: I took the liberty of posting a link to Clawson (in your absence) :)
GerryOP writes:
Hey, welcome home Geoff. You didn't feel the earth shake with the momentus announcement? It the words of the legendary pdhuff: "Looks like we may be gettin' us a Spider!"
TopperVol75 writes:
Any comments on posts tonight about LSU-OSU...pardon if I am missing them. But, '06 we had eventual NC Florida beaten in KnoxVegas till Ainge did the Gator Chomp...now, we had eventual NC LSU beaten in the SEC Championship until Ainge thought we were wearing White jerseys. NOT an Ainge basher, just coincidence???
THANKYOU4GETTINGRIDOFTHENOTSOSLIMONE writes:
This program is in MAJOR trouble.
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