Dave Clawson, now entering his seventh season as Wake Forest football coach, plans to isolate from his wife, Catherine, once team camp opens July 12. Catherine is a breast cancer survivor and, due to a reduced white blood cell count, is at a higher risk for contacting COVID-19.
Clawson said that the odds on him contracting the virus — and possibly transmitting it to his wife — made the decision a no-brainer. Via ESPN:
“When I’m working on a daily basis, coaching 110 to 120 players and having a staff of 50, I don’t know how I could go home at night and honestly tell my wife I couldn’t have come in contact with [the coronavirus]. I love coaching, but I love my wife more. There’s no way I’m going to do anything that would put her at risk.”
Clawson mentioned that several of his staff members plan to do something similar, too. He notes that if football is to happen, everyone — players, coaches, staff — must follow guidelines and social distancing protocols. (Seriously, wear a mask, people. It’s not much of an ask.)
Wake Forest football is in the midst of special a run, with Clawson pulling the strings. The Demon Deacons have four straight seasons with seven or more wins; in each of those seasons, Wake Forest has gone to a bowl game (3-1).
The 2019 season saw Wake Forest soar to new heights on offense; quarterback Jamie Newman (now at Georgia) and a trio of receivers — Sage Surratt, Scotty Washington and Kendall Hinton — led the resurgence.
During his time at Wake Forest, Clawson has compiled a 36-40 (.474) record. However, over this four-year run (206-19), the Demon Deacons have gone 30-22 (.577).