CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Appalachian State is firing head coach Shawn Clark after five full seasons leading the Mountaineers program.
ESPN's Pete Thamel first reported Clark's firing. Appalachian State finished this season 5-6 and Clark was 40-24 overall as the program's head coach. The Mountaineers are not bowl-eligible after their game against Liberty was canceled due to Hurricane Helene. The Mountaineers closed the regular season with a 29-20 loss at Georgia Southern.
“I want to thank Shawn for all he has done for the App State football program,” Athletic Director Doug Gillin said in a press release. “Shawn is a true Mountaineer. He has given his heart and soul to his alma mater. He has navigated numerous challenges in his tenure and done so with class and integrity. This was a difficult decision, but after an evaluation of the program, we decided to make the change now.
“The expectation for App State Football is to annually compete for a conference championship and a berth in the College Football Playoff. We have commenced a national search to quickly find the next leader for App State Football. Mountaineer fans are among the most passionate in the country, and we are committed to providing a football program that builds upon the decades of previous championship tradition.”
Clark, an App State grade, led his alma mater to three bowls in five seasons, including a 10-win season in 2021. The Mountaineers hosted ESPN's "College Gameday" during his tenure following an upset of Texas A&M in 2022. As a player, Clark was a two-time All-American offensive lineman under legendary coach Jerry Moore.
Clark had been on the staff at Appalachian State since 2016 when he was hired as co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. He succeeded Eli Drinkwtiz in 2020, who is now the head coach at Missouri. Clark also worked under Scott Satterfield, the current head coach at Cincinnati.