Introduced as Furman’s new head football coach on December 19, 2016, Clay Hendrix in seven seasons has returned Paladin football to its long respected level of national prominence and securely fixed his winning stamp on a program he has served over a span of four decades.
The latest evidence of Hendrix’s successful work came in 2023 when Furman posted another 10-win season, reeled off eight straight victories, and claimed the program’s Southern Conference best 15th championship, thereby clinching the league’s FCS playoff berth and first-round bye. After knocking off Chattanooga, 26-7, in a round of 16 clash, the Paladins dropped a 35-28 overtime decision at second-ranked Montana, the eventual national runnerup. Furman completed the season ranked No. 6 in the AFCA final poll — the Paladins’ highest finish since 2005.
The FCS playoff appearance a year ago marked the fourth for the Paladins under Hendrix, who has compiled a 51-29 overall (.638) record and 39-16 (.709) SoCon worksheet as a head coach.
The high level of competitiveness the Paladins have achieved under his direction is evident in the fact that Furman is among only three FCS programs to post double-digit wins (20-6) the last two seasons, joining South Dakota State and North Dakota State.
Furman’s success under Hendrix, honored in 2023 as SoCon and AFCA Region II Coach of the Year, has been the product of many factors, including solid recruiting and player development/retention. Last year five Paladins earned All-America honors and 19 players landed All-SoCon laurels, led by league offensive player of the year, quarterback Tyler Huff, and Jacobs Blocking Award recipient, offensive guard Jacob Johanning. In addition, two Paladins — Johanning and tight end Mason Pline — signed free agent contracts with the Las Vegas Raiders and San Francisco 49ers, respectively.
In addition to on-the-field accolades, Furman registered impressive performances in other areas, including Huff capturing the prestigious Armed Forces Merit Award, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America. Approximately 60 percent of the program’s 130 student-athletes earning SoCon Academic Honor Roll recognition, and Paladin football was again a major factor in Furman ranking among the nation’s best in NCAA Academic Performance Rating (APR) and Graduation Success Rate (GSR) metrics.
Furman’s results the last two seasons have further extended Hendrix’s winning legacy, evidenced in the fact that in now 42 years of collegiate football, spanning his years as a player, assistant coach, and head coach, he has been part of 35 winning teams that have combined to go 333-180-3 (.648).
Hendrix returned to his alma mater in Dec. of 2016, following a decade as an assistant coach at the United States Air Force Academy. In his first season at the helm, he engineered Furman to an 8-5 campaign and FCS playoff appearance, improving on a three-win 2016 season and defying a preseason No. 7 SoCon tab by playing for a share of the league title in the regular season finale en route to finishing as a consensus No. 20 in two major FCS polls — a body of work that netted him SoCon Coach of the Year honors.
In 2018 Furman took another step under Hendrix’s guidance, overcoming an 0-3 start and having its home opener against Colgate canceled due to Hurricane Florence, by winning six of its final seven games, including a 34-14 triumph over FCS No. 4 Wofford. The Paladins’ 35-30 road victory over Mercer in the regular season finale secured a 6-4 record and share of the program’s 14th SoCon championship — the most by any school in league history.
In 2019 the Paladins delivered again, posting an 8-5 record and earning an at-large bid to the FCS playoffs and AFCA No. 19 final national ranking.
After navigating through the pandemic season of 2020, Hendrix’s 2021 squad won its final two games to finish 6-5 and set the stage for the 10-3 campaign in 2022 — the program’s best since 2005. Furman paced the FCS in turnovers gained (29) and blocked kicks (10) in 2022, and produced the first three-time All-American in program history in tight end Ryan Miller, now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
That Hendrix has been able to orchestrate an impressive rebound of Paladin football was just what Furman football supporters envisioned when he was named the 23rd head coach in program history, which dates from 1889.
While at Air Force, where he coached the offensive line and served as offensive coordinator for five seasons, as well as associate head coach over the final seven campaigns, Hendrix played a pivotal role in the Falcons producing some of the top rushing attacks in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). That productivity translated into a 77-53 record (.592), nine bowl game appearances, and four Commander-in-Chief Trophies, which is awarded annually based on head-to-head results among the three service academies.
Air Force led the Mountain West Conference (MWC) in rushing and ranked in the top 10 nationally eight times in the last 10 years due, in part, to the quality work of Hendrix-directed offensive lines. All told 19 Falcon offensive linemen garnered all-conference recognition and 21 players under Hendrix’s guidance landed Academic All-MWC honors during his tenure in Colorado Springs.
In 2016 Air Force posted a 10-3 record and 5-3 mark in the MWC, won its fourth Commander-in-Chief Trophy this decade, and defeated South Alabama in the Arizona Bowl following a 27-20 win over 19th-ranked Boise State on Nov. 25. The Falcons ranked third nationally in rushing offense (322.8 ypg), seventh in FBS in third down conversion percentage (51.4), and averaged over 451.4 yards per game in total offense along with 34.3 points per game.
The victory over Boise State represented the final win in an impressive list of Air Force triumphs with Hendrix on staff. In 2014 the Falcons defeated 21st-ranked Colorado State (27-24) during the regular season and knocked off Western Michigan (38-24) in the Idaho Potato Bowl to complete a 10-3 campaign. In 2010 Air Force downed Georgia Tech (14-7) in the Independence Bowl, a year after beating 25th-ranked Houston (45-20) in the Armed Forces Bowl. In his first season there, the Falcons handed Notre Dame its biggest setback (41-24) to a service academy since 1963.
Hendrix paved his way to Air Force with an exemplary 19-year record of accomplishment as an assistant coach at Furman, where he served as offensive line coach each year, recruiting coordinator for three seasons, and assistant head coach over his final five campaigns. From 1988-2006 he helped the Paladins post a 155-77-1 record (.667), including a 100-45 Southern Conference mark (.690) that led to six league championships, 11 NCAA FCS (formerly I-AA) playoff appearances, a national runner-up finish in 2001, and the 1988 national championship — the first by a SoCon member school and a private university in FCS history.
Over his final eight seasons on the Paladin staff (1999-06), Furman registered a 73-28 record (.723) and 47-14 worksheet (.770) against SoCon competition en route to three league championships, seven FCS playoff berths, 2001 national runner-up campaign, and seven top 10 final national rankings.
Hendrix-directed offensive lines and powerful rushing attacks were central in one of the greatest eras in Furman history. In 1999 Furman knocked off North Carolina (28-3) on the strength of a 177-yard rushing performance by tailback Louis Ivory, and in 2000 averaged a school record 307.1 yards per game rushing to spearhead Ivory’s run to the Walter Payton Award, the FCS equivalent to the Heisman Trophy. The next year a Paladin line featuring three All-Americans keyed a 12-3 campaign, highlighted by a 24-17 playoff semifinal road win over Georgia Southern that halted the Eagles’ NCAA record 39-game home winning streak.
In 2005 a potent Paladin ground game was central to Furman scoring 64 touchdowns and averaging 470.0 yards per game — both school standards.
In recognition terms, 25 Hendrix-coached players earned first team all-conference honors and 13 garnered All-America laurels during his Paladin assistant coaching tenure. In addition, five products — center Steve Duggan (1990), guard Ben Hall (1999), tackle Josh Moore (2000), tackle Donnie Littlejohn (2001), and tackle Ben Bainbridge (2004) — captured the SoCon’s Jacobs Blocking Award. A sixth recipient, tackle Joel Bell, who was recruited and developed by Hendrix, garnered the award in 2008 and was inducted into the university’s athletic hall of fame in 2022. Tackle Matthew Schmidt became the seventh Hendrix player to land the prestigious Jacobs Blocking Award in 2017, and guard Jacob Johanning selection in 2023 made it eight honorees.
Three of Furman’s SoCon leading 15 Academic All-Americans — guards Eric Walter (1990 & ‘91) and Adi Filipovic (2006) — are Hendrix products.
A native of Commerce, Ga., where he was a three-sport standout in football, wrestling, and golf as a prep, he starred as an offensive guard on the gridiron, helping Commerce High School to a 13-1 record and 1981 Class 2A state championship.
He came to Furman in 1982 on scholarship under head coach Dick Sheridan and over the next four years, including three seasons as a starter under the tutelage of offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell, played a role in the Paladins posting a 39-10-1 record, winning SoCon championships in 1982, ‘83, and ‘85, and finishing as national runner-up his senior year — a season that netted him all-state recognition. Furman also recorded impressive wins over South Carolina (1982), Georgia Tech (1983), and North Carolina State (1984 & ‘85) during his playing tenure.
Following graduation in 1986, he joined Sheridan’s staff at N.C. State for the 1986 and ‘87 seasons — the first of which featured a Peach Bowl appearance. The Wolfpack beat ACC regular season champion Clemson in 1986 and the seventh-ranked Tigers again the following year.
He returned to Furman in 1988 as offensive line coach under head coach Jimmy Satterfield, and his influence quickly led to success as Furman registered a 13-2 record and claimed the NCAA FCS championship with a 17-12 triumph over Georgia Southern — the first national title by a SoCon school and first by a private institution in division history.
He and his wife, LeeAnn Hedgpeth ‘90 of Taylors, S.C., have two sons, Cal and Mac.
