The Wake Forest Demon Deacons college football team represents Wake Forest University in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The Demon Deacons compete as part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The program has had 32 head coaches since it began play during the 1888 season. Since December 2013, Dave Clawson has served as head coach at Wake Forest. [1]
Six coaches have led Wake Forest in postseason bowl games: Peahead Walker, John Mackovic, Bill Dooley, Jim Caldwell, Jim Grobe, and Clawson. Two of those coaches also won conference championships: Cal Stoll and Grobe each captured one as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Peahead Walker is the leader in games won and seasons coached with 77 wins in his 14 years as head coach each. Hank Garrity has the highest winning percentage at 0.722. Bill Hildebrand has the lowest winning percentage of those who have coached more than one game, with 0.175.
General | Overall | Conference | Postseason [A 1] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Order of coaches [A 2] | GC | Games coached | CW | Conference wins | PW | Postseason wins |
DC | Division championships | OW | Overall wins | CL | Conference losses | PL | Postseason losses |
CC | Conference championships | OL | Overall losses | CT | Conference ties | PT | Postseason ties |
NC | National championships | OT | Overall ties [A 3] | C% | Conference winning percentage | ||
† | Elected to the College Football Hall of Fame | O% | Overall winning percentage [A 4] |
No. | Name [A 6] | Season(s) [A 7] | GC | OW | OL | OT | O% | CW | CL | CT | C% | PW | PL | PT | CC | NC | Awards |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | W. C. Dowd | 1888 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
2 | W. C. Riddick | 1888–1889 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0.500 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
3 | E. Walter Sikes | 1891–1893 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0.722 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
4 | A. P. Hall Jr. | 1908 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0.200 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
5 | A. T. Myers | 1909 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0.333 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
6 | Reddy Rowe | 1910 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0.222 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
7 | Frank Thompson | 1911–1913 | 24 | 5 | 19 | 0 | 0.208 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
8 | Wilbur C. Smith | 1914–1915 | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0.375 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
9 | G. M. Billings | 1916 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0.500 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
10 | E. T. MacDonnell | 1917 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0.188 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
11 | Harry Rabenhorst | 1918–1919 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.273 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
12 | James L. White | 1920–1921 | 19 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 0.211 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
13 | George Levene | 1922 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 0.400 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
14 | Hank Garrity | 1923–1925 | 27 | 19 | 7 | 1 | 0.722 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
15 | James A. Baldwin | 1926–1927 | 20 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 0.425 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
16 | Stan Cofall | 1928 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0.300 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
17 | Pat Miller | 1929–1932 | 37 | 18 | 15 | 4 | 0.541 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
18 | Jim Weaver | 1933–1936 | 33 | 10 | 23 | 1 | 0.309 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0.400 | — | — | — | 0 | — | — |
19 | Peahead Walker | 1937–1950 | 134 | 77 | 51 | 6 | 0.597 | 53 | 33 | 5 | 0.610 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
20 | Tom Rogers | 1951–1955 | 50 | 21 | 25 | 4 | 0.460 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 0.531 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
21 | Paul Amen | 1956–1959 | 40 | 11 | 26 | 3 | 0.313 | 7 | 19 | 1 | 0.278 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
22 | Bill Hildebrand | 1960–1963 | 40 | 7 | 33 | 0 | 0.175 | 6 | 21 | 0 | 0.222 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
23 | Bill Tate | 1964–1968 | 50 | 17 | 32 | 1 | 0.350 | 13 | 18 | 1 | 0.422 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
24 | Cal Stoll | 1969–1971 | 32 | 15 | 17 | 0 | 0.469 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0.500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — | — |
25 | Tom Harper | 1972 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.182 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0.167 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
26 | Chuck Mills | 1973–1977 | 55 | 11 | 43 | 1 | 0.209 | 6 | 23 | 1 | 0.217 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
27 | John Mackovic | 1978–1980 | 34 | 14 | 20 | 0 | 0.412 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 0.353 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
28 | Al Groh | 1981–1986 | 66 | 26 | 40 | 0 | 0.394 | 8 | 32 | 0 | 0.200 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
29 | Bill Dooley | 1987–1992 | 67 | 29 | 36 | 2 | 0.448 | 14 | 29 | 0 | 0.326 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
30 | Jim Caldwell | 1993–2000 | 89 | 26 | 63 | 0 | 0.292 | 12 | 52 | 0 | 0.188 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
31 | Jim Grobe | 2001–2013 | 159 | 77 | 82 | — | 0.484 | 42 | 62 | — | 0.404 | 3 | 2 | — | 1 | — |
AP College Football COY (2006) Bobby Dodd COY (2006) Sporting News COY (2006) |
32 | Dave Clawson | 2014–present | 124 | 63 | 61 | — | 0.508 | 30 | 49 | — | 0.380 | 5 | 2 | — | 0 | — | — |
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons college football team represents Wake Forest University in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The Demon Deacons compete as part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The program has had 32 head coaches since it began play during the 1888 season. Since December 2013, Dave Clawson has served as head coach at Wake Forest. [1]
Six coaches have led Wake Forest in postseason bowl games: Peahead Walker, John Mackovic, Bill Dooley, Jim Caldwell, Jim Grobe, and Clawson. Two of those coaches also won conference championships: Cal Stoll and Grobe each captured one as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Peahead Walker is the leader in games won and seasons coached with 77 wins in his 14 years as head coach each. Hank Garrity has the highest winning percentage at 0.722. Bill Hildebrand has the lowest winning percentage of those who have coached more than one game, with 0.175.
General | Overall | Conference | Postseason [A 1] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Order of coaches [A 2] | GC | Games coached | CW | Conference wins | PW | Postseason wins |
DC | Division championships | OW | Overall wins | CL | Conference losses | PL | Postseason losses |
CC | Conference championships | OL | Overall losses | CT | Conference ties | PT | Postseason ties |
NC | National championships | OT | Overall ties [A 3] | C% | Conference winning percentage | ||
† | Elected to the College Football Hall of Fame | O% | Overall winning percentage [A 4] |
No. | Name [A 6] | Season(s) [A 7] | GC | OW | OL | OT | O% | CW | CL | CT | C% | PW | PL | PT | CC | NC | Awards |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | W. C. Dowd | 1888 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
2 | W. C. Riddick | 1888–1889 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0.500 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
3 | E. Walter Sikes | 1891–1893 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0.722 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
4 | A. P. Hall Jr. | 1908 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0.200 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
5 | A. T. Myers | 1909 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0.333 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
6 | Reddy Rowe | 1910 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0.222 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
7 | Frank Thompson | 1911–1913 | 24 | 5 | 19 | 0 | 0.208 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
8 | Wilbur C. Smith | 1914–1915 | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0.375 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
9 | G. M. Billings | 1916 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0.500 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
10 | E. T. MacDonnell | 1917 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0.188 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
11 | Harry Rabenhorst | 1918–1919 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.273 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
12 | James L. White | 1920–1921 | 19 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 0.211 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
13 | George Levene | 1922 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 0.400 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
14 | Hank Garrity | 1923–1925 | 27 | 19 | 7 | 1 | 0.722 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
15 | James A. Baldwin | 1926–1927 | 20 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 0.425 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
16 | Stan Cofall | 1928 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0.300 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
17 | Pat Miller | 1929–1932 | 37 | 18 | 15 | 4 | 0.541 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
18 | Jim Weaver | 1933–1936 | 33 | 10 | 23 | 1 | 0.309 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0.400 | — | — | — | 0 | — | — |
19 | Peahead Walker | 1937–1950 | 134 | 77 | 51 | 6 | 0.597 | 53 | 33 | 5 | 0.610 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
20 | Tom Rogers | 1951–1955 | 50 | 21 | 25 | 4 | 0.460 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 0.531 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
21 | Paul Amen | 1956–1959 | 40 | 11 | 26 | 3 | 0.313 | 7 | 19 | 1 | 0.278 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
22 | Bill Hildebrand | 1960–1963 | 40 | 7 | 33 | 0 | 0.175 | 6 | 21 | 0 | 0.222 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
23 | Bill Tate | 1964–1968 | 50 | 17 | 32 | 1 | 0.350 | 13 | 18 | 1 | 0.422 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
24 | Cal Stoll | 1969–1971 | 32 | 15 | 17 | 0 | 0.469 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0.500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — | — |
25 | Tom Harper | 1972 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0.182 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0.167 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
26 | Chuck Mills | 1973–1977 | 55 | 11 | 43 | 1 | 0.209 | 6 | 23 | 1 | 0.217 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
27 | John Mackovic | 1978–1980 | 34 | 14 | 20 | 0 | 0.412 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 0.353 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
28 | Al Groh | 1981–1986 | 66 | 26 | 40 | 0 | 0.394 | 8 | 32 | 0 | 0.200 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
29 | Bill Dooley | 1987–1992 | 67 | 29 | 36 | 2 | 0.448 | 14 | 29 | 0 | 0.326 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
30 | Jim Caldwell | 1993–2000 | 89 | 26 | 63 | 0 | 0.292 | 12 | 52 | 0 | 0.188 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
31 | Jim Grobe | 2001–2013 | 159 | 77 | 82 | — | 0.484 | 42 | 62 | — | 0.404 | 3 | 2 | — | 1 | — |
AP College Football COY (2006) Bobby Dodd COY (2006) Sporting News COY (2006) |
32 | Dave Clawson | 2014–present | 124 | 63 | 61 | — | 0.508 | 30 | 49 | — | 0.380 | 5 | 2 | — | 0 | — | — |