Bill Clay 2001-2004 Defensive Coordinator/LB Coach Oklahoma State 1997-2000 Defensive Coordinator/LB Coach UAB 1996 Defensive Coordinator UTEP 1989-95 Defensive Coordinator Mississippi State Temple 1988 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1987 Southern Methodist 1982-86 Southern Mississippi 1976-81 South Carolina 1973-74 Virginia Tech 1972 Virginia 1969-71 Clay has spent 18 seasons as a defensive coordinator in Division I-A and a total of 27 seasons as a defensive coach. Bill Clay completed his 33rd year as a collegiate coach in 2004. As evident by his lengthy coaching career, he provides a vast wealth of knowledge and expertise to the OSU coaching staff. Clay joined the Cowboy coaching staff in 2001 after serving as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Alabama-Birmingham for four seasons, 1997-2000. “Bill Clay is an outstanding football coach,” Miles said. “His defenses have consistently been nationally ranked and he’s got an incredible amount of experience as a coordinator. I believe he is one of the top defensive coaches in the country.” Under Clay’s guidance, the Oklahoma State defense provided one of the most memorable performances in the 2001 season. OSU defeated Oklahoma, 16-13, as the defense held the Sooners to zero yards rushing, while also wreaking havoc on the OU passing game with seven sacks and three interceptions. Clay was the architect of one of the nation’s top defenses in 2000 with UAB. The Blazers, who finished 7-4, were ranked 11th in total defense allowing an average of 209.9 yards per game. UAB was ninth in scoring and sixth in rushing defense and was as high as number two in the country in total defense during the season. During Clays’ stint at UAB, he coached five players who went on to the NFL, including defensive backs Dainon Sidney (Tennessee), Izell Reese (Dallas) and Rodregis Brooks (Indianapolis). He also coached linebacker Brian Smith who went to the Atlanta Falcons and defensive end Otis Leverette who was a sixth-round selection by the Miami Dolphins in the 2001 draft. Prior to arriving at UAB in 1997, Clay spent one season at Texas-El Paso. In one season at UTEP, Clay took the Miners’ defense from last in the WAC to second. His 1996 UTEP defense was 39th in the NCAA and 33rd nationally in pass defense. Prior to his year at UTEP, Clay was an assistant coach at Mississippi State for seven years (1989-95), including five years as the defensive coordinator. During Clay’s tenure at Starkville, the Bulldogs participated in three bowl games and his defenses were nationally ranked in 1991, 1992 and 1994. Clay’s resume includes a year as an assistant with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1987). His collegiate experience includes stops at Virginia Tech (1972), Virginia (1969-71), South Carolina (1973-74), Southern Mississippi (1976-81), Southern Methodist (1982-86) and Temple (1988). Clay has spent 17 seasons as a defensive coordinator in Division I-A and a total of 26 seasons as a defensive coach. He has participated in eight bowl games, including three with Mississippi State, three with Southern Methodist and two with Southern Mississippi. At SMU, the Mustangs were second in the nation in scoring defense in 1983, allowing just 9.9 points per game. The 1982 team went 11-0-1, finished the season ranked second in the nation and defeated Pittsburgh in the Cotton Bowl. During Clay’s two seasons as defensive coordinator at Southern Mississippi, the Golden Eagles’ defense was also one of the nation’s best. In 1980, USM led the nation in scoring defense (8.1) and was 10th in total defense. A year later, the Golden Eagles were fifth in total defense. USM had a combined 18-5-1 record those two seasons and went to two straight bowl games. Alma-Mater: Arkansas 1963
My God, did this guy coach with Knute Rockne? No, no age discrimination intended. I have nothing against a 62 y.o. coach, per se. But I sure hope reports that Bill Clay will be LSU's DC are WRONG. If Miles is not comfortable w/ Muschamp, which might be understandable, then why can't he bring in someone else, whose name is not Muschamp or Clay? Everyone is speculating at this point. The guy may turn out to be a great DC at LSU. All we can do is look at his track record to predict his future likely success. I'm not liking the vibes I'm getting. Reminiscent of Gerry DiNardo. Gerry was a good guy and a good coach. But his loyalty to assistants who did not merit that loyalty was his undoing (Lou Tepper? Mac MacConnell as OC?) Is Bill Clay to Les Miles as Carl Smith was to Jim Mora? Is Miles that stubborn that he wants to prove the OK St fans wrong and show that Clay is indeed a great DC? Stubbornness is a two-edged sword -- good in some ways, bad in others. It is Miles' future on the line, not mine, or your's. If he's comfortable with Clay as his DC, all we can do is accept it and hope for the best. But IMO, not a good sign, not a good indicator of Miles' decision-making ability. Yeah, I know, the guy's been on the job less than 24 hours and LSU fans are already second-guessing him.
I think what you learn most from fan message boards such as this is that: you're only as good as your previous year. Not that I agree with that statement, but there are many that don't want to even see if Clay can coach a nationally ranked defense again. We're kinda cautious about being someone's "lab rat"...
The rumors I hear from this end are that Clay will be going to LSU, but in an administrative capacity (maybe Director of Football Operations?) not as DC.
keeping our fingers crossed If that is true, though, why is Mack Butler coming, isn't he Miles' "admin guy"? I read something on Profootballtalk.com, which is a garbage site, but anyway, they "reported" that Saban was not keeping Bates as Dolphins' DC, but is going to hire "Grantham." I don't know who "Grantham" is. If that rumor is true (consider the source), then, Muschamp would seem to be available to Miles to stay at LSU. Perhaps Miles feels Muschamp is not experienced enough to be his DC ... which I can understand. Saban probably ran the defense. However, I would hope he would take a look around and see if he can bring in a more aggressive DC. I have nothing against Clay, don't know him from Adam, just going on what I've read from OK State fans, the universal sentiment seems to be negative.
Todd Grantham is the DL line coach for the Houston Texans. Looking at his bio it looks like he was the DL line coach for NS at Mich. St. http://www.houstontexans.com/
In defense of Clay at OSU this season, he supposedly did not have much talent to work with on the defensive line and he lost his best player Darrent W**. Also, they had to play OU, Texas, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M among other offenses. That is pretty tough with LSU's personnel, so you can understand how it would be tough with OSU's.
