University of Richmond Athletics
Dave Clawson Named Finalist For Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award
Nov. 16, 2007
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - On the verge of Richmond Football's second conference championship and second postseason appearance in three years, head coach Dave Clawson has been named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award. Clawson is one of 16 FCS head coaches up for the award.
In just his forth season with the Spiders, Clawson has parlayed his ability to rebuild programs into three consecutive winning seasons - just the first time that has occurred at Richmond in 52 years. The Spiders (8-2, 6-1) are ranked No. 7 heading into Saturday's regular-season finale versus William & Mary and can clinch at least a share of the CAA Football title with their sixth-consecutive victory.
Clawson, 40, was the offensive coordinator at both Lehigh and Villanova before taking the reigns of a sagging Fordham program in 1999. He flipped a Rams team that went 0-11 in his first season into a league champion and NCAA Playoff contender.
He's followed the same script at Richmond. Stumbling through a 3-8 campaign out of the gate, Clawson led the Spiders to a 9-4 season in 2005, which resulted in an Atlantic 10 Championship and a decisive win over second-ranked Hampton in the NCAA First Round. The Spiders were 6-5 last season with a shutout win over Duke and are poised for another championship season in 2007.
As the offensive coordinator at Villanova, the Youngstown, N.Y. native coached soon-to-be Walter Payton Award winners and NFL players Brian Westbrook and Brian Finneran. Richmond senior tailback Tim Hightower, currently averaging 150.1 yard per game, is among the favorites for the Walter Payton Award this season.
Clawson, a 1989 graduate of Williams College in Massachusetts, was named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award in both 2002 and 2005 -- the same years I-AA.org tabbed him as its National Coach of the Year.
In nine years as a head coach, Clawson's record stands at 55-48 (26-19 in four years at Richmond). Not counting his first seasons at both Richmond and Fordham, Clawson has won nearly 65 percent (52-29) of his games overall and won nearly 75 percent (19-7) in November.
Among the other Robinson Award candidates are Pete Adrian of Norfolk State, Craig Bohl of North Dakota State, Rod Broadway of Grambling, Dave Cohen of Hofstra, Mark Farley of Northern Iowa, Henry Frazier of Prairie View, Chris Hatcher of Georgia Southern, Danny Hope of Eastern Kentucky, Al Lavan of Delaware State, Pete Lembo of Elon, Tom Masella of Fordham, Jerry Moore of Appalachian State, Jack Siedlecki of Yale, Matt Viator of McNeese State and Paul Wulff of Eastern Washington.
This year's winner will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 13 at the Sports Network's annual awards banquet to be held at the Marriott Hotel in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Payton and Buck Buchanan Awards are also announced the evening before the FCS National Championship Game.