New Vols coordinator knows results matter -- Clawson brings youthful intelligence to Tennessee

OK, so maybe Dave Clawson doesn't know the pressure of big-timeNCAA Division 1-A football yet.

After all, Tennessee's new offensive coordinator takes part inhis first Vols practice today when spring ball opens in Knoxville.

But Clawson, 40, certainly understands results are demanded onall levels of football, even in Division 1-AA, where he spent mostof his coaching career until now.

For instance, in his first year as a head coach, 1999 at Fordham,his team went 0-11.

Not a big deal, right? It's only Fordham.

"On the Internet message boards, our fans would spell my namewithout a W," Clawson said. "They said since we just kept losing, Icouldn't find a 'W' if I searched far and wide."

Clawson, possibly the only coach in 1-AA history to win NationalCoach of the Year at two different schools (2002 at Fordham and 2005at Richmond), understands he's in a situation now where every movehe makes will be scrutinized.

The hiring of Clawson, who was 29-29 from 1999-2003 at Fordham,then 29-20 from 2004-07 at Richmond, marks the first time in 26years that the Vols have stepped outside to hire an offensivecoordinator. Since 1983, when it hired Illinois quarterback coachWalt Harris to run the offense, Tennessee has promoted from withinor hired someone who had been on its staff.

"He's youthful and very bright," Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmersaid of Clawson, who replaces new Duke head coach David Cutcliffe ."I'm smart enough to hire people smarter than me."

Dick Farley, who coached Clawson at Williams College from 1985-89, knows all about his former player's intelligence.

It was Farley who shifted Clawson, a Youngstown, N.Y., native,from quarterback to defensive back . Farley, who retired four yearsago as a head coach to resume duties as Williams' track coach, hasproudly followed Clawson's career since he left Williams, a 2,000-student institution in Williamstown, Mass., that has been ranked theNo. 1 national liberal arts college in America.

"I always kid Dave that we're going to put, 'He was aquarterback,' on his tombstone," Farley said. "He was a very smartguy at a school where you have to be pretty darned bright. He justdecided to take an Ivy League-like education and coach footballinstead of going to Wall Street like some of his buddies."

Farley, whose son played under Clawson when he was Villanova'soffensive coordinator, feels the Vols are getting a mind with aflawless track record.

"Dave is looking all the time at mismatches and where he can takeadvantage of either a linebacker or safety," Farley said. " He'snever failed at anything he's done. He looks like a choir boy offthe field, but I know since he played for me, he's very thorough andvery demanding."

Clawson says Farley's coaching style and teaching methods havestuck with him. He hasn't forgotten some of Farley's great practicefield one-liners, like when he told players who made mistake aftermistake, "If you can't play here, you can't play anywhere ... thereis no Division 4."

"Coach (Farley) always gave you the truth, even if he wasbrutally honest," Clawson said. "He didn't try to be your friend. Hecoached us. He taught us."

Tennessee fans are eager and hopeful to see an infusion of newideas and schemes from Clawson, especially since many of the SECpowers have updated their offenses in the last three to four years.

Florida's spread option took full flight last season underHeisman Trophy winning quarterback Tim Tebow. National champion LSUused a dazzling array of formations. Auburn hired new offensivecoordinator Tony Franklin, who favors the spread offense.

Clawson has won using a variety of offenses.

At Villanova as an offensive coordinator, he aired it out oneyear and had almost 4,000 yards passing. Then, Clawson went to aWest Coast offense to fit personnel that included future NFLstandout Brian Westbrook, who became the first player in NCAAhistory to gain 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the sameseason.

At Richmond, Clawson went from using parts of a spread offensebeing run by athletic quarterback Stacy Tutt, who threw for 2,000yards and ran for almost 1,000 more, to using a power-runningoffense last season.

"People want an entertaining style of offense," Clawson said."West Virginia and Florida have athletic quarterbacks, and they'vetaken advantage of it running the spread. USC has been successfulrunning a pro style attack.

"My basic belief is you get your best players on the field, andyou've got to get your best players the ball. You can't be soinflexible that you're playing a lesser talented player because ofyour system. You play to your strengths."

Clawson likes a power running game as a base. And he likes tospread the field and throw. And he likes a lot of formations. And hewants balance.

His reputation for offensive versatility is why Fulmer trackedhim down . Clawson had inquiries from a couple of other BCS schoolsseeking an offensive coordinator. but he chose to interview withTennessee and Fulmer.

"A lot of the visits I had with various coaches were good, butDave was the best one," Fulmer said.

What may have won the job for Clawson, besides the fact Fulmerfelt he and Clawson had similar philosophies - "I don't care howmany times we run or throw it, just as long as we use our personnelto the fullest," Fulmer said - was the give-and-take in theinterview process.

"He was as stubborn as could be," Fulmer said. "When we talkedfootball and situations, he was hard-headed enough to argue with me,and I liked that. Discussion is a healthy thing in an organization.People believe the way they believe, but at the end of the day we'reall going to figure out what's best for the team."

Clawson has plenty to work with, since the Vols return eightoffensive starters. Junior Jonathan Crompton, who has played in 14games the last two seasons as Erik Ainge's backup, opens the springas the No. 1 QB, and he endorses Clawson's offensive philosophy.

"You win games by getting the ball to playmakers," said Crompton,who has thrown for 498 career yards, five touchdowns and fourinterceptions.

Clawson said he expects a smooth transition.

"We have quarterbacks who have had some game experience, but theyneed developing," Clawson said. "What makes it easier is that theother pieces are there. There are established skill players and anestablished offensive line."

And perhaps the thing that excites Clawson the most is testinghis coaching chops in a league that he admired from afar, watchingSoutheastern Conference games on CBS and ESPN. He took note of thefull stadiums and enormous amount of NFL-caliber athletes.

"If you're a competitor," Clawson said, "you want to competeagainst the best."

- Ron Higgins: 529-2525

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Tennessee spring football

First practice: Today

Orange and White game: April 19

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