Shawn Clark passed away Sunday, Sept. 21 at age 50.
Clark served as the Appalachian State head coach from 2020-24 and currently operated as the offensive line coach at UCF at the time of his passing. He experienced a medical emergency on Sept. 9 and was hospitalized per a statement from UCF Athletics. Clark remained in stable condition until from the time of the emergency until Sunday night.
“Shawn was so much more than a coach. He was a remarkable man, husband, and father who cared deeply about his
players and staff,” UCF head coach Scott Frost said in a statement. “The reaction of our players and coaches to the news this morning is a testament to Shawn’s character and the impact he had on every life that he touched. He was loved. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Jonelle, and children, Giana and Braxton. We are here to support them and will continue to keep them in our hearts and prayers.”
Frost hired Clark to coach the offensive line in January as part of his new staff at UCF. Prior to his tenure in Orlando, Clark spent nine years on staffs at Appalachian State. He worked his way up from an offensive line coach to the associate head coach, and when Eli Drinkwitz left for Missouri following the 2019 season, Clark was internally promoted to his first head coaching role.
Clark debuted as Appalachian State’s head coach during the 2019 New Orleans Bowl. After leading a 31-17 victory over UAB, he solidified the Mountaineers’ first season-ending ranking in program history, checking in at No. 19 in the AP Poll. Clark coached the next four full seasons and won two more bowl games, defeating North Texas in the 2020 Myrtle Beach Bowl and Miami (OH) in the 2023 Cure Bowl. He also guided App State to two Sun Belt Championship Game berths in 2021 and 2023.
Clark earned 9+ wins in three of his five seasons at the helm, finishing with an overall record of 40-24 at his alma mater. He played on the offensive line at App State from 1994-98, earning two FCS (known as Division I-AA at the time) All-American nods and three all-conference selections. He earned a degree in criminal justice at Appalachian State and a master’s in education at Louisville, where he accepted his first coaching job as a graduate assistant in 2001. Other stops along the way for the Charleston, WV native included Eastern Kentucky (2003-08), Purdue (2009-12), and Kent State (2013-15) — working as the o-line coach at all three before returning to his alma mater.
“We are heartbroken by Shawn’s passing,” UCF athletic director Terry Mohajir said in a statement. “He brought passion, integrity, and a genuine love for people to everything he did. Shawn will be remembered not only for his impact on the game of football, but also for the relationships he built and the example he set as a husband and father. Our deepest condolences go out to his wife and children during this difficult time.”
Clark (1975-2025) is survived by his wife Jonelle and children Giana and Braxton.
