Garrett Clawson - Assistant Special Teams - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Garrett Clawson

Title:
Assistant Special Teams

Garrett Clawson is in his third year working with the University of Michigan special teams units in 2026. He is a 12-year coaching veteran who has worked with special teams throughout his career.

During his career, Clawson has worked with 19 players who received all-conference recognition, helping them compile nine first-team and seven second-team honors.

While Clawson was been part of the staff in Ann Arbor, kicker Dominic Zvada was named a first-team All-American and the Big Ten's 2024 Bakken-Andersen Kicker of the Year. Zvada set several single-game and career program records, including most made field goals of 40-plus yards (18) and most made field goals of 50-plus yards (seven-for-seven in 2024). He was 21-of-22 (95.5 percent) overall and tied the Big Ten record for most Special Teams Player of the Week honors in a season (four), and U-M's special teams ranked No. 3 in ESPN College Football Power Index Efficiency Rankings. Long snapper William Wagner was named a Patrick Mannelly Award finalist in 2024 and also secured first-team All-Big Ten honors.

Before joining the Michigan staff, Clawson spent the 2023 season at SMU, where he helped three Mustangs achieve All-American Conference honors, including first-team kicker Collin Rogers. Rogers set single-season program records for field goals made (20) and PATs (66), as well as an AAC Championship game record for field goals made (four). SMU was one of four FBS teams with three or more touchdowns scored on special teams.

Clawson worked at Old Dominion in 2022 in a Special Teams Quality Control role. ODU led the Sun Belt in Net Punting after ranking 11th in C-USA the year before his arrival, finishing 15th in the FBS in 2022. ODU led all FBS teams with four blocked kicks and also finished 14th in punt return defense.

For three years at Saint Vincent College (2019-21), Clawson mentored running backs and linebackers and coordinated the special teams. Clawson worked with running back Mike Stasko, who became the program's all-time leading rusher with several single-game records. He also coached punter Christian Witchey during his 2019 campaign that saw him set program records for single-game, single-season and career punting averages.

Clawson worked at Saint Francis University for three seasons (2016-18) in the same capacity. The teams units led the NEC in net punting three times (2016-18), punt return average twice (2017-18) and kickoff coverage once (2017) during his tenure. The team also ranked top-10 nationally in punt return defense in all three seasons, and in kickoff return once (2016). Clawson worked with All-American return man Lorenzo Jerome, whose 28.6-yard return average ranked No. 2 nationally, and first-team all-league running back Marcus Bagley.

While he was Special Teams Coordinator at Westminster College (2014-15), the Titans blocked six kicks, scored four touchdowns, and were plus-16 on special teams turnovers across two seasons. Clawson coached running back Dom McKinley while he became the program's first 1,000-yard back since 2002 and the team went 9-2, winning the 2015 ECAC Championship.

Clawson kicked at Robert Morris University and earned his degree in sport management in 2011. He led the Colonials in scoring in 2008 and in 2009 and was named first team All-NEC in the latter season after setting a program records for made field goals in a season (14) and conversions in a game (three, three times). He finished his career fifth in program history in scoring (139 points) and became the first-ever player to win three consecutive NEC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.

The Clawson File
Hometown: Duncansville, Pennsylvania
High School: Hollidaysburg
College: Robert Morris (sport management, 2011)
Family: Son of Alan and Linda Clawson