Tom Clark enters his second season as offensive coordinator for the Rams after joining the staff in 2023.
Clark had seven offensive players gain All-PSAC East honors in 2023 with Seth Morgan, James Bell, Jeremiah Taylor, and Ty Lucas garnering first team accolades. Additionally, Morgan earned honorable mention Don Hansen All-American honors. The Rams ranked third in the PSAC in passing offense, team passing efficiency, and total offense.
Clark came to Shepherd after serving as assistant head football coach/defense at Hampden-Sydney College in 2022. He helped lead the Tigers to a 5-5 overall mark.
Clark previously served as the defensive coordinator at NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) member VMI from 2015-21. He was promoted to assistant head coach in 2017. Clark’s defenses posted significant improvements in yardage and points allowed, helping the Keydets finish 6-2 during the championship 2020 (Spring 2021) campaign. VMI won its first Southern Conference title since 1977, and advanced to the FCS Playoffs, before falling to top-ranked James Madison (31-24). Clark was named a finalist for 2020 FCS National Defensive Coordinator of the Year by footballscoop.com. He coached the VMI secondary for four seasons (2015-18), before coaching the linebackers for three seasons.
Clark was the special teams coordinator and secondary coach at the College of William & Mary from 2012-14. The Tribe defense yielded the fewest passing touchdowns in the nation in 2013, and W&M led the nation in blocked kicks in 2014. He coached two All-American defensive backs for the Tribe who later played in the NFL. Clark was previously the defensive coordinator at W&M from 2001-03, helping the program to the 2001 Atlantic 10 Conference Championship.
Clark was the defensive coordinator at Liberty University from 2006-11, helping the Flames win four Big South Conference titles in six seasons. The LU defense led the Big South in scoring defense each of the six seasons. He was on the staff with Ernie McCook for the 2009 season when McCook served as the running game coordinator/tight ends coach for the Flames.
Clark served as Catholic University head coach during two stints (1994-2000) and 2004-05). He guided Catholic to a record of 56-14-1 during his first stint as the Cardinals’ head coach, including three consecutive Division III Playoff appearances (1997-99). Clark earned ODAC Coach of the Year honors in 1999 when he led the Cardinals to the ODAC Championship.
Clark also served as the head coach at Bishop McNamara (Md.) High School from 1988-93, winning the 1990 Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) Championship and led BMHS to an overall record of 38-23, including a 26-12 mark in the WCAC. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant (defensive backs) at the University of Colorado in 1987-88.
A native of Washington, DC, Clark earned his bachelor of science degree in kinesiology from the University of Maryland in 1986. He and his wife, Laurie, have a son, Kevin, and a daughter, Samantha.
