Oklahoma State University Athletics
Bill Clay Named Defensive Coordinator
April 07, 2003 | Cowboy Football
Clay will come to OSU from the University of Alabama-Birmingham where he served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the past four seasons.
"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. He will be a tremendous addition to our staff. I believe he is one of the top defensive coaches in the country."
Clay was the architect of one of the nation's top defenses last season. 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 four players who went on the 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.
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 coaching 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.
Clay is a native of Marianna, Ark., and graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1963. He was a two-year letterman for the Razorbacks. He started his coaching career at Ganby High School in Norfolk, Va., where he coached for four years before joining the staff at Virginia.
