College football assistant coach Shawn Clark dead at 50
UCF offensive line coach dies after medical emergency; former Appalachian State head coach guided Mountaineers to multiple bowl wins.
Shawn Clark, the longtime college football coach and the offensive line coach for the UCF Knights, has died at age 50 after a medical emergency that led to his hospitalization earlier this month, the school said Monday.
Clark suffered the health issue on Sept. 9 and had been away from the team since then. UCF did not disclose an official condition last week, but the university confirmed his passing on Monday.
"Shawn was so much more than a coach," UCF head coach Scott Frost said in a statement. "He was a remarkable man, husband, and father who cared deeply about his players and staff. 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."
Clark joined the Knights’ program after spending five years as the head coach of the Appalachian State Mountaineers. He served as the head coach at Appalachian State, his alma mater, from 2019 to 2024, posting a 40-24 record with bowl-game appearances and three bowl victories.
He began his coaching career in 2001 as a graduate assistant for the Louisville Cardinals. His subsequent stops as an offensive line coach included Eastern Kentucky, Purdue, and Kent State. Clark returned to App State as the Mountaineers’ offensive line coach in 2016 and later was promoted to offensive coordinator before taking over as head coach.
Appalachian State released a statement expressing condolences, recalling Clark as a former All-American and a leader who left a lasting mark on the program. The school noted the passing of an alumnus who mattered deeply to the Mountaineers community and extended sympathy to Clark’s family and all who knew him.
The university and Clark’s former programs have emphasized the need for privacy as this matter is handled, and no additional specifics about memorial plans have been released. Clark’s death represents a significant loss for UCF’s staff and for the college football community, where he spent more than two decades coaching and mentoring players.