Source: Shawn Clark expected to be named head coach Friday

Moss Brennan, Reporter
December 11, 2019

Shawn Clark is expected to be named head football coach Friday, a source with knowledge of the process told The Appalachian.

The App State board of trustees will hold a conference call to officially approve Clark Friday at 1 p.m.

Clark was named interim head coach Monday after former head coach Eliah Drinkwitz took a position as head coach at the University of Missouri. 

Courtesy App State Athletics
Shawn Clark is expected to be named head coach of the football on Friday.

He has served as the offensive line coach for the past four seasons and was named assistant head coach prior to the 2019 season. 

He was the co-offensive coordinator for the running game in his first three seasons under former head coach Scott Satterfield. 

Clark graduated from App State with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 1998. He was a four-year starter for the Mountaineers as an offensive guard when he was named a two-time All-American in 1996 and 1998 and three-time all-Southern Conference selection in 1995, 1996 and 1998, according to his App State sports bio. 

Clark also served as a graduate assistant from 2001-02 at Louisville where he earned his master’s degree in education. 

His coaching experience also includes a position as offensive line coach at Eastern Kentucky University from 2003-08, at Purdue from 2009-12 and at Kent State from 2013-15, according to his App State sports bio.

When news broke that Drinkwitz was leaving the program, players immediately took to Twitter and started the hashtag #Clark2020.

Clark’s his first game as head coach is on Dec. 21 when the Mountaineers play University of Alabama at Birmingham (9-4) from Conference USA at the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. The game will be aired on ESPN at 9 p.m. ET/8 CT.

The Winston-Salem Journal first reported Clark would be named permanent head coach.Â