Pete Thamel- App State Fires Shawn Clark

[diehardapp18]

Two things can be true.

1) Shawn's overall body of work was very respectable. You all are exactly right, a lot of programs would kill to go 40-24 with two bowl wins over a five year stretch.

2) If you dive deeper and really begin to contextualize the situation, his best two teams were his first two years where he was coaching a lot of experienced players from previous regimes. When the roster got down to the core that he built, we went 4-6 against FBS competition in two of the last three seasons.

Yes, the landscape has changed. But every program has had to adapt. Some coaches are clearly doing a better job at that than others. Shawn was dealt with some unfair circumstances. It was still time.

He'll always be a damn good Mountaineer. But it was still time. He will land on his feet somewhere, and he probably has more money than anyone else on this forum.

[Mjohn1988]

The SC HC record at App:
- 5 full seasons as HC
- Overall record 40-24 (25-15 SBC)
- 2 SBC championship game appearances
- 3 bowl bids in 5 years (3-1 bowl record)*includes 2019 NOLA bowl win
- 4-0 vs in state peer programs (3 vs ECU, 1 vs Charlotte)
- 2 top 25 wins (1 top 10)
- 1-4 vs P5 schools (3 very memorable losses (@Miami, 2 UNC) and 1 loss would like to forget (Clemson)
- 7-2 vs G5 schools (include bowl games)
- Zero FCS losses

This was Shawn Clark's first tenure as a head coach. 1st year dealt with a 100 year global pandemic and last year a 100 year unimaginable storm that disrupted the entire region.

5 years there were a lot of great memories coupled with several setbacks, but that is sports...Coach should feel good about his accomplishments....see everyone next season!

a lot of schools would be thrilled with that. Including some in North Carolina

You are right, there are a lot of schools that would be thrilled with that but we are not a lot of schools when it comes to football. We are App State and we expect more.

The standard has been set. It’s not a pipe dream like some other programs have. It does take the right staff to meet the standard. The current one didn’t cut it.

I just saw a steady decline. I know some of the numbers don’t completely support that opinion but the “eye test” did. The clincher for me was how we lost against Clemson and USA this year. It didn’t look like we belonged on the same field with either of them.

[Yosef10]

I'm sad for the change though it needed to be done. And possibly even more sad that I think we are going to be stuck in rebuilding mode for at least 1-2 years.

Doesn’t have to be. JMU had their whole roster taken to Indiana and I would have signed up for their season this year.

[appstate24]

Bell . Woods. Cronic. Smith. Lamb.

Smith?

Are these just names you are throwing out?

[JTApps1]

Now that the deed is done and all the anti-Shawn Clark folks are tickled pink I have a few comments. First, I hope that we somehow find the $$$ to pay the next HC a 7 figure salary like some of our SB brethren are doing. Second, all YC members need to make sure that they back-track on the threats to withhold contributions and/or season ticket. Third to all the anti-Shawn Clark people who are not YC members and were equally if not more vocal than the YC club donors I say pony up or shut up. Join the YC club and let your pocket book back up your desire to fire him.

To Shawn Clark I say: the overall results were not what we or you wanted but we couldn't ask for a better Mountaineer ambassador. Thank you Coach.

People don't have to give to YC to have opinion. That's about as dumb as saying people aren't fans if they don't xyz.....

This is true, but everyone that cares about App State athletics should donate something to Yosef Club.

[JTApps1]

Bell . Woods. Cronic. Smith. Lamb.

Which Bell though?

[Stonewall]

Good point I’m thinking dad. No order . All solid.

[hapapp]

Bell . Woods. Cronic. Smith. Lamb.

Lamb is 27-25 and in five years of coaching his best season is 7-5. He may be the best thing coming down the pike, but I can't see trusting the program to someone who has had a modicum of success. I realize he has turned programs around but let's see what does from that.

[JTApps1]

Bell . Woods. Cronic. Smith. Lamb.

Lamb is 27-25 and in five years of coaching his best season is 7-5. He may be the best thing coming down the pike, but I can't see trusting the program to someone who has had a modicum of success. I realize he has turned programs around but let's see what does from that.

Yeah, I wish we had more history at a single stop to judge him on. I do like his offense and no nonsense style though.

Cronic from Navy could be a great pick given his success as HC at multiple levels and long history in this area. I like his exposure to an academy as well.

[AppSt94]

Bell . Woods. Cronic. Smith. Lamb.

Lamb is 27-25 and in five years of coaching his best season is 7-5. He may be the best thing coming down the pike, but I can't see trusting the program to someone who has had a modicum of success. I realize he has turned programs around but let's see what does from that.

Lamb’s record against .500 plus teams isn’t any better than what we just fired. Hard to justify that hire when some have pointed to the same issue when justifying turning Clark loose.

[bcoach]

I gotta be honest I didn’t think he was getting the job done. But I can’t celebrate him getting fired.

I appreciate the job he did. It’s an understatement to say he had to endure some external challenges and he always did it with class.

It’s the right choice but consider me worried more than anything. We get this hire right and it can payoff. We get it wrong and we can become the next Southern Miss. eyes are officially on DG.

He said in his first presser this was a dream job. Can’t imagine how it feels for it to have ended like this. He’s a good man and wanted to succeed, but didn’t get it done. I take no joy in reading the news personally, but am excited for the next chapter.

That said, next year is likely gonna be rough. Significant roster changes and probably new schemes on both sides of the ball. We will have to have patience.

Beat UNCC

Compare the Clark from his beginning presser to the Clark we saw in most pressers the last two seasons. He didn't seem like a guy working at his dream job. I know he wanted to succeed, and I wanted him to as well. However, while today probably sucks for him, I bet at least a part of him is pretty pumped about what he can do for Christmas with $500k in his pocket.

I asure you he is not pumped about anything.

[RaleighApp27609]

I am not understanding how Tre Lamb would be a fit at this point. His success is average at ETSU and keep in mind that the FCS competition is watered down and the playoffs expanded to 24 teams.

[Captain Morgan]

Coach just changed his twitter pic.

https://x.com/coach_sclark/status/18637 ... 46/photo/1


thanks for the good times. The win at Texas A M which brought Gameday to Boone, the miracle the week after that which got us even more national attention, for being a class act and for still loving your school. Thank you

[ASUTodd]

Oh heck.... Shoot for the moon. Call Belichik or Saban.

[bcoach]

You know he is gone now. Maybe it is just time to stop. There really is no need to keep talking about what he didn't do. He is gone and if you really appreciate what a quality guy he is just maybe it is time to stop.

[hapapp]

You know he is gone now. Maybe it is just time to stop. There really is no need to keep talking about what he didn't do. He is gone and if you really appreciate what a quality guy he is just maybe it is time to stop.

Let's not pretend that he didn't accomplish anything while at the helm. We had some really good times and successes.

[MrCraig]

I gotta be honest I didn’t think he was getting the job done. But I can’t celebrate him getting fired.

I appreciate the job he did. It’s an understatement to say he had to endure some external challenges and he always did it with class.

It’s the right choice but consider me worried more than anything. We get this hire right and it can payoff. We get it wrong and we can become the next Southern Miss. eyes are officially on DG.

He said in his first presser this was a dream job. Can’t imagine how it feels for it to have ended like this. He’s a good man and wanted to succeed, but didn’t get it done. I take no joy in reading the news personally, but am excited for the next chapter.

That said, next year is likely gonna be rough. Significant roster changes and probably new schemes on both sides of the ball. We will have to have patience.

Beat UNCC

Compare the Clark from his beginning presser to the Clark we saw in most pressers the last two seasons. He didn't seem like a guy working at his dream job. I know he wanted to succeed, and I wanted him to as well. However, while today probably sucks for him, I bet at least a part of him is pretty pumped about what he can do for Christmas with $500k in his pocket.

I asure you he is not pumped about anything.

I assure you, he is, or will be soon. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but soon. Any one of us would take a firing if it meant we got $500k and got to spend the rest of the holiday season with family instead of working.

[pop5app]

Bell . Woods. Cronic. Smith. Lamb.

Lamb is 27-25 and in five years of coaching his best season is 7-5. He may be the best thing coming down the pike, but I can't see trusting the program to someone who has had a modicum of success. I realize he has turned programs around but let's see what does from that.

Lamb’s record against .500 plus teams isn’t any better than what we just fired. Hard to justify that hire when some have pointed to the same issue when justifying turning Clark loose.

Rarely do I fully agree with your take but this time you got it right. Tre Lamb may be a good choice but his results are not any better that Shawn Clarks’(maybe not as good). Perhaps in 3-5 years when we a looking for the next coach will be his time for APP. In the meantime, this hire is to important to not get it right.

[bcoach]

I gotta be honest I didn’t think he was getting the job done. But I can’t celebrate him getting fired.

I appreciate the job he did. It’s an understatement to say he had to endure some external challenges and he always did it with class.

It’s the right choice but consider me worried more than anything. We get this hire right and it can payoff. We get it wrong and we can become the next Southern Miss. eyes are officially on DG.

He said in his first presser this was a dream job. Can’t imagine how it feels for it to have ended like this. He’s a good man and wanted to succeed, but didn’t get it done. I take no joy in reading the news personally, but am excited for the next chapter.

That said, next year is likely gonna be rough. Significant roster changes and probably new schemes on both sides of the ball. We will have to have patience.

Beat UNCC

Compare the Clark from his beginning presser to the Clark we saw in most pressers the last two seasons. He didn't seem like a guy working at his dream job. I know he wanted to succeed, and I wanted him to as well. However, while today probably sucks for him, I bet at least a part of him is pretty pumped about what he can do for Christmas with $500k in his pocket.

I asure you he is not pumped about anything.

I assure you, he is, or will be soon. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but soon. Any one of us would take a firing if it meant we got $500k and got to spend the rest of the holiday season with family instead of working.

You have no clue.

[AppWyo]

He said in his first presser this was a dream job. Can’t imagine how it feels for it to have ended like this. He’s a good man and wanted to succeed, but didn’t get it done. I take no joy in reading the news personally, but am excited for the next chapter.

That said, next year is likely gonna be rough. Significant roster changes and probably new schemes on both sides of the ball. We will have to have patience.

Beat UNCC

Compare the Clark from his beginning presser to the Clark we saw in most pressers the last two seasons. He didn't seem like a guy working at his dream job. I know he wanted to succeed, and I wanted him to as well. However, while today probably sucks for him, I bet at least a part of him is pretty pumped about what he can do for Christmas with $500k in his pocket.

I asure you he is not pumped about anything.

I assure you, he is, or will be soon. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but soon. Any one of us would take a firing if it meant we got $500k and got to spend the rest of the holiday season with family instead of working.

You have no clue.

What if Clark gets the job at UNCC and beats Appalachian?