Air Force Academy

Clay Hendrix

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Position: Assoc. Head Coach/Off. Coordinator/Off. Line Experience: 5th Year College: Furman, 1986

Clay Hendrix is in his fifth season at the Academy as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach and second as associate head coach.

Hendrix made his presence in the program known early, as he has turned the offensive line into one of the team's strengths each season and into one of the best units in the conference each year.

Air Force won its 27th conference rushing title in 2010, while finishing second nationally in rushing with an average of 306.5 yards per game. Despite entering the season with five new starters, the team's average was the best since winning its only national rushing title in 2002 with a 307.8 per-game average. The total is the 10th best ever in school history. The 2010 season marked the second time in his tenure (2008) that Air Force allowed the fewest quarterback sacks in the nation.

Hendrix coached two all-conference honorees in 2010 in junior A.J. Wallerstein and senior Chase Darden, who were each second-team selections.

Air Force's offense has ranked as one of the top units in the conference the last three seasons. Air Force finished fourth in the conference in scoring (29.7) and total offense (371.8) last year. The Falcons finished second in the conference in scoring and total offense with averages of 29.9 points and 419.4 yards per game in 2007. The team was fourth in scoring at 26.7 points per game and averaged 348.8 yards per game with a first-year starter and a freshman at starting quarterback in 2008. Air Force was also third in the conference and 31st nationally in quarterback efficiency last season.

Hendrix came to Air Force after completing 19 seasons at NCAA I-AA Furman as the offensive line coach, including the last five as assistant head coach. Since joining the staff in 1988, he played a central role in Furman's success as his offensive lines helped the Paladins post a 147-73-1 record, win six Southern Conference titles and claim the 1988 NCAA I-AA national crown.

The success Furman enjoyed over his last seven years, including a combined 65-24 record and three league titles, was due in large measure to the work of Hendrix-directed fronts.

A product of Commerce, Ga., he starred as an offensive guard as a prep, helping Commerce High School to a 13-1-1 record and the 1981 AA state championship. A 1986 Furman graduate, he was a three-year starter from 1982-85 when Furman rolled up a 39-10-1 record. He also played on three league title teams and four nationally-ranked squads, including the 1985 national runner-up team. Furman also recorded impressive wins over South Carolina (1982), Georgia Tech (1983), and N.C. State (1984 & '85) during his tenure. He was named all-state in 1985.

Following graduation, he joined Dick Sheridan's coaching staff at North Carolina State as a graduate assistant before returning to Furman in 1988. He and his wife, the former LeeAnn Hedgpeth of Taylors, S.C., have two sons, Cal (14), and Mac (10).

Coaching Experience
Air Force - Associate Head Coach, 2009-Present
Air Force - Offensive Coord./Off. Line, 2007-Present
Furman - Offensive Line, 1988-2006
North Carolina State - Graduate Asst., 1986-87