Last Updated on December 15, 2021 5:54 pm
BOONE, N.C. – Shawn Clark, the winningest second-year head coach in the FBS who on Saturday will try to lead the Mountaineers to their seventh straight bowl victory in as many seasons, has received a contract extension through the 2026 season.
Upon recommendation by Appalachian State University’s Chancellor Sheri Everts, the university’s Board of Trustees voted to approve the extension at their meeting on Wednesday.
Clark, a 1998 graduate of App State, has led his alma mater to a 20-6 record since being named the full-time head coach ahead of the 2019 New Orleans Bowl. His .769 winning percentage is topped by only five active FBS head coaches: Ohio State’s Ryan Day, USC’s Lincoln Riley, Georgia’s Kirby Smart, Alabama’s Nick Saban and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney.
“Shawn Clark has done an outstanding job with our football program,” App State Director of Athletics Doug Gillin said. “He has led us to two bowl wins, a Sun Belt championship game appearance, historic academic achievement, community engagement and continued recruiting success, while also navigating a challenging first year as a head coach. We look forward to continued momentum with our football program.”
App State is 10-3 this season with an upcoming appearance in the Rooflclaim.com Boca Raton Bowl this Saturday against WKU (11 a.m., ESPN). The Mountaineers boast a top-20 defense and have a 1,000-yard rusher for the 10th straight season. Only App State, Alabama, Clemson and Oklahoma have won nine or more games every year since 2015.
“Being the head coach at my alma mater is a dream come true,” Clark said. “I am thankful to the Board of Trustees, Chancellor Everts and Doug Gillin for continuing to give me the opportunity to be the head coach and for giving us everything we need to be successful and pursue more championships. It’s great to be a Mountaineer.”
Clark was hired as App State’s offensive line coach in 2016 by Scott Satterfield and stayed on the staff as assistant head coach under Eliah Drinkwitz in 2019 before assuming the head coach role ahead of App State’s 31-17 win over UAB in the 2019 New Orleans Bowl to cap a 13-1 season.
The only first-year FBS head coach to win nine games in 2020, he led the Mountaineers to a 56-28 win over North Texas in the inaugural Myrtle Beach Bowl to cap a 9-3 campaign.
