INTERVIEW | Furman coach Clay Hendrix discusses his pending retirement, close-loss heartbreak, team culture, and the Citadel rivalry.

Cole Bryson (0:01)

It is time to talk Furman Paladins football with Clay Hendrix, the head football coach of the Furman Paladins. A big one this weekend for the Furman Paladins. We'll also talk about last weekend as well. A very close loss on Halloween. A one point loss to Western Carolina, and a big one in Charleston this Saturday. Two o'clock first kick at The Citadel, the Socon's oldest rivalry between The Citadel and Furman. Coach, it's been a tough season for you guys. Obviously, a lot of close losses. The big news we'll start with though, a couple of weeks ago, you did announce that you would be resigning, coach, at the end of the season. First of all, congratulations on a great coaching career, and retiring is the proper word there, I would imagine. Talk to us, coach, about what went into that decision for you.

Clay Hendrix (0:52)

Well, I appreciate it. I'm not big on the retire word. I've been asked, what's next? And I have no idea. Kind of looking forward to doing a little bit of nothing for a little bit of time, but no, I appreciate that. You know, to say, you know, if I would sit here and say, well, I hadn't really thought about that, that's not true.

But, you know, I think the timing of it was just, we got to a point where I knew when our season was gonna end, which is on November 21st, and I felt like at that time it wouldn't be a distraction. And, you know, I actually think it would help Furman moving forward. You know, as I've said, there's not a person on this earth that cares more about Furman football than me. And I'd argue anybody about that. But I just think it was best for, you know, for me and my wife and our family and Furman going forward. And, you know, I'd like to have been awfully blessed to be in the role that I've been in. And this is year 41 of coaching. And, you know, it's time for somebody else to kind of take over and lead this program.

Diesel (1:57)

Coach, do you see yourself being a part of the process? You said it there. There might not be anybody that cares about Furman football as much as you do. Do you see yourself being a part of the process when it comes to, you know, vetting future candidates? And on top of that, you know, are you possibly considering coordinating or consulting or doing something somewhere else to stay in the game?

Clay Hendrix (2:19)

Well, first of all, if they ask me, which they have, you know, I've been a little bit involved. I mean, because the one thing is well underway, which is, you know, be honestly, I was hoping it could be well underway because of the timeline.

You know, obviously, ultimately, it's not my decision. I do care about the sport if you ask my opinion. I think, you know, I certainly care an awful lot about it and I have my thoughts. When they've asked, they've been unbelievably receptive to me. When they ask, I'll certainly help any way I can and whenever they name a coach, I'll help any way I can continue going forward as the program goes. You know, I really have no idea, you know what, you know, the phone rings, you know, and when it does, you answer it, you see, and I really don't have, I certainly don't think I'd want to be a head coach again. I just think in today's world, there's so many hats to wear with that, and the thing you enjoy the most is what you get to do the least, and that's kind of the on-the-field coaching.

But again, I would be probably open to buy anything, but I've got a wife that I adore, I think she likes me too, so she's been awfully, she's been a coach's wife for 33 years, and she's always been there, she's been, you know, she's run the show, raising two boys and all that for a long time, and so I kind of want to do some things she wants to do.

Diesel (3:55)

Well, I was about to ask that coach, maybe that's the more important question, it's not what do you want to do, what does she want to do that she hadn't been able to do as you've been so busy?

Clay Hendrix (4:04)

Well, you don't have to ask her that, I tell you the great thing about her, she, you know, she's a Furman grad as well, and she's kind of had a life of her own, you know, so she's not one that was tied, she's always been there for us, and she lives and dies with the winds and the losses, and two sons, I got two sons that live all the way across, one in LA and one in Denver, so maybe we've seen them a little more.