Shawn Clark, who spent the previous five seasons as an FBS head coach, has been named UCF’s offensive line coach, head coach Scott Frost announced Saturday. Clark comes to Orlando after compiling a 40-24 record at Appalachian State, headlined by a 10-win season in 2021.
“I’m thrilled to join UCF as the new offensive line coach and have the chance to work with such talented student-athletes and coaches,” said Clark. “UCF has a proud history of high-powered offenses, and I’m eager to contribute to that tradition. I want to thank Coach Frost for giving me this incredible opportunity.”
Clark was a two-time All-American and three-time all-conference selection as an offensive lineman during his playing career at App State, when the Mountaineers compiled a 45-16 record.
Prior to taking over as the head coach in Boone, Clark was the assistant head coach/offensive line coach in 2019 and the co-offensive coordinator/offensive line coach from 2016-18. He was also the offensive line coach at Kent State (2013-15), Purdue (2009-12) and Eastern Kentucky (2003-08).
His 2024 Appalachian State team led the Sun Belt in passing offense, averaging 273 yards through the air each game to rank 19th nationally. Quarterback Joey Aguilar led the league and ranked 21st in the nation in passing yards (3,003). In 2023, Aguilar set the program record 3,757 passing yards after Chase Brice established a new mark under Clark in 2021 with 3,337.
During a 9-5 season in 2023, Clark posted his third bowl victory, a third straight season with a win against a top 25 opponent and a third season with at least nine victories. The Mountaineers won the final five games of the regular season, headlined by winning the Sun Belt Conference’s East Division title and delivering a 13-9 victory against Miami (Ohio) in the Cure Bowl.
In 2022, Clark recorded App State’s first victory against an Associated Press (AP) top 10 opponent since 2007, taking down No. 6 Texas A&M, 17-14.
In each of Clark’s four seasons coaching App State’s offensive line, the Mountaineers won four straight Sun Belt Conference titles while compiling a 43-10 record in that span. His offensive line ranked in the top 25 nationally in both rushing yards per game and fewest sacks allowed. The unit was recognized by the Joe Moore Award as one of the nation’s top 15 offensive lines in 2018 and 2019, and all five starters on the 2019 line received All-Sun Belt Conference recognition.
The 2018 team ranked 14th nationally in rushing yards per game (240.3) and 20th nationally in sacks allowed (18). Quarterback Zac Thomas was named the Sun Belt's Offensive Player of the Year. The Mountaineers led the Sun Belt in both rushing yards and fewest sacks in 2017, as they allowed only eight sacks (No. 2 nationally) and averaged 223.6 rushing yards per game to rank 22nd in the country. App State averaged 315.8 rushing yards during its 4-0 finish, eclipsing 300 yards in each of the last three games, and it became the first Sun Belt program with three offensive linemen (Colby Gossett, Beau Nunn, Victor Johnson) named to the all-conference first team.
In 2016, the Mountaineers led the Sun Belt in rushing offense (250.9 yards per game to rank No. 10 nationally, as well as No. 2 in Sun Belt history) and ranked 16th nationally in sacks allowed. The line also paved the way for running back Jalin Moore to be named the Sun Belt's Offensive Player of the Year and helped Marcus Cox become the program's all-time leading rusher with more than 5,000 career yards.
He coached three All-Americans who went on to play in the NFL at Eastern Kentucky, with two offensive linemen from the 2010 team selected in the NFL Draft.
Clark graduated from App State with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 1998 and earned a master's degree in education from Louisville in 2003.
His wife, Jonelle, was a standout softball student-athlete at Eastern Kentucky and was inducted into EKU's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008. The Clarks have two children: a daughter, Giana, and a son, Braxton.