Football
Sep 27 (Sat)
7 p.m.
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- Title:
- Safeties/Co-Special Teams Coordinator
- Email:
- cowhite@ncsu.edu
- Phone:
- (919) 515-7062
(NC State `01)
Safeties/Co-Special Teams Coordinator
15th year in coaching
PLAYING EXPERIENCE:
College - A three-year starter at linebacker for the Wolfpack from 1998-00, he was a captain as a senior (2003). Ended his career with his name in the record book for several categories, including career tackles for loss (33), single-season tackles for loss (16) and tackles in a single game (23). Was named NC State’s special teams MVP in 1997; Professional - Spent three seasons in the NFL, with the New York Giants from 2001-02 and with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2003).Â
EDUCATION:
Earned a B.S. degree in sport management from NC State in 2001.
PERSONAL DATA:
Born in Dunn, N.C., on Dec. 2, 1977. He and his wife Kelly, have a son, Chase (5) and a daughter, Macy (3). Had his No. 4 jersey retired at Triton HS in 2002.
BOWL EXPERIENCE:
As a coach - NC State:Â 2015 Belk Bowl, 2014 Bitcoin St. Petersburg; Stanford: 2009 Sun Bowl; Western Michigan:Â 2006 International Bowl; As a player (NC State) - 1998 Micron PC Bowl, 2000 MicronPC.com Bowl.
COACHING HIGHLIGHTS:
At NC State:
- The Wolfpack’s 2015 defense ranked 29th in the FBS in total defense, 39th in rushing defense, 36th in passing yards allowed, 29th in first down defense, 42nd in interceptions, 34th in third down defense and 35th in TFL and sacks.
- Coached two of the top four tackles on the 2015 squad: Josh Jones ranked third with 63 and Hakim Jones ranked fourth with 61.
- Strong safety Josh Jones was an honorable mention Freshman All-American in 2014 and tied for second in the ACC with four INTs.
- Coached the team’s leading tackler, free safety Hakim Jones, in 2014.Â
- The Pack posted the second-best kickoff return average (25.7) in school history in 2015, while the 13.0 punt return average was the seventh-best mark ever.
- In 2015, NC State was 1 of only 2 schools in the FBS to finish in the Top 20 in both Kickoff Return and Punt Return.
- Freshman Nyheim Hines was an honorable mention All-ACC performer and posted the ninth-best single-season KOR average in school history (26.3). After one season he ranks 10th in school history in career kickoff return yards.
- Hines’ 920 kickoff return yards in 2015 led all FBS freshmen.
- Junior Bra’Lon Cherry as an All-ACC honorable mention performer as a returner. His 13.3 yard PR average for the season ranks ninth in the NC State record book, while his 358 yards is the third-highest total in school history.
- Wolfpack opponents tallied just 52 yards in punt returns in 2015 - the lowest mark in school history. Team ranked eighth in the BCS in punt return defense.
- NC State has ranked in the top five in the ACC in kickoff return defense each of the past two seasons.
- 2014 special teams included All-ACC punter Wil Baumann and Wolfpack all-time leading scorer PK Nik Sade.
At Connecticut:
- Team tied for the national lead with three punt returns for TDs and led the Big East with a 12.5 punt return average, a mark that ranked 18th nationally.Â
- UConn tailback Lyle McCombs earned FWAA Freshman All-America honors and was a second-team All-Big East pick. He became just the second Husky to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a freshman season.Â
- On special teams, UConn was ranked 17th in the country in kickoff returns in 2011. Punter Cole Wagner was named second team All-Big East Conference.
- Coached future NFL players Nick Williams (Falcons), Sio Moore (Colts), Ryan Griffin (Texans), Dwayne Gratz (Jaguars), and Blidi Wrey-Wilson (Titans).
At Western Kentucky:
- 2015 defense ranked 36th nationally, fourth in the Sun Belt Conference.
- Punt return team at ranked third in the Sun Belt with 8.1 yards per return.Â
- Defense led the Sun Belt in total yards allowed in conference games.Â
At Stanford:
- The Cardinal was ranked as high as 14th in the national polls, posting an 8-4 regular season record in 2009.Â
- Sun Bowl appearance in ‘09 marked the school’s first bowl game since 2001.Â
- Coached future NFL players Richard Sherman (Seahawks), Michael Thomas (Dolphins), Johnson Bademosi (Lions), and Delano Howell (Colts).
At Western Michigan:
- The 2006 defense led the nation with 24 interceptions and 3.5 sacks per game, while ranking in a tie for second with 37 turnovers gained.Â
- In 2006, ranked sixth in the country in kickoff return defense at 16 yards per return and 10th in the country in punt returns at 13.6.Â
- Coached future NFL players Louis Delmas and E.J. BiggersÂ
At Western Carolina:,Â
- Led all FCS schools in pass defense and ranked fifth in pass efficiency defense.
Clayton White's Coaching Career
| Year(s) | Team | Position |
| 2003 | Sanderson (N.C.) HS | Defensive Backs |
| 2004-05 | Western Carolina | Defensive Backs/Special Teams |
| 2006 | Western Michigan | Defensive Backs/Special Teams |
| 2007-09 | Stanford | Defensive Backs |
| 2010 | Western Kentucky | Defensive Backs/Co-Special Teams Coordinator |
| 2011-12 | Connecticut | Running Backs/Special Teams Coordinator |
| 2013-pres. | NC State | Safeties/Co-Special Teams Coordinator |
