Dave Clawson ‘not surprised' that DeShone Kizer's thriving

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson got to know DeShone Kizer long before the Toledo, Ohio native rose to national prominence as the starting quarterback of a Notre Dame team in the midst of a playoff push.

Clawson, who brings his 3-6 Demon Deacons to Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, spent five seasons as Bowling Green’s coach from 2009-2013. During his tenure, he recruited Kizer, a talented prospect who had yet to be unearthed by college football’s most powerful programs.

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Bowling Green was among the first schools Kizer considered, along with Toledo — the first school to offer him a football scholarship — and Syracuse. He grew up a fan of Bowling Green — his father was a point guard there from 1987-1991 — and said Bowling Green floated the possibility of allowing him to play multiple sports.

But once the bigger offers started to roll in, Clawson knew luring Kizer 20 miles south down I-75 was a longshot.

“(We) knew whoever he ended up signing with was getting an outstanding football player, a great competitor, but also a really mature and humble young man,” Clawson said. “Not surprised at all that he's done as well as he has.”

Kizer pledged his verbal commitment to Notre Dame in June of 2013, and after a 10-win season that fall, Clawson left to take over for Jim Grobe at Wake Forest. Kizer said he figured Clawson’s move to a higher-profile job would happen — Bowling Green won eight games in 2012 — but said he had a “great relationship” with the guy who’ll be coaching against him on Saturday.

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Clawson continued to follow Kizer from North Carolina, noting his former recruit’s third-team reps this spring and rapid ascendance to starting for Notre Dame following Everett Golson’s transfer and Malik Zaire’s injury. Kizer will make his eighth start of the season Saturday against Wake Forest and has 1,931 yards, a 66 percent completion rate and 16 touchdowns against six interceptions.

“I'm happy for him,” Clawson said. “He's an easy guy to root for. But obviously we won't be rooting for him this weekend.”

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