Playing Experience
A member of two Gator Bowl teams as a reserve offensive lineman for Clemson in 1977 and 1978.
Bowl Participation as a Player
1977 Gator Bowl...1978 Gator Bowl.
Education
B.A. degree in industrial education from Clemson in 1979.
Coaching Experience
Graduate assistant coach at Livingston (1979)...tight ends at East Carolina (Spring 1980)...offensive line coach at North Texas (1980)...offensive line/special teams coach at Texas Tech (1981-84)...assistant linebackers coach at Texas Tech (1985)...defensive coordinator/inside linebackers at Louisiana-Lafayette (1986-91)...assistant head coach/defensive coordinator/inside linebackers at Louisiana-Lafayette (1992)...offensive line coach at Baylor (1993-96)...running game coordinator at Baylor (1996)...offensive line coach at Tulane (1997,98)...offensive line coach at Clemson (1999-03)...defensive line coach at Clemson (2004)...outside linebackers coach at Clemson (2005,06).
Bowl Seasons as an Assistant Coach
1994 Alamo Bowl...1998 Liberty Bowl...1999 Peach Bowl...2001 Gator Bowl...2001 Humanitarian Bowl...2002 Tangerine Bowl...2004 Peach Bowl...2005 Champs Sports Bowl...2006 Music City Bowl.
Personal Data
Born February 12, 1957...married to the former Becky Horne...they have a son (Brad 24) and a daughter (Lori 21).
Ron West is in his ninth season as an assistant on Tommy Bowden's coaching staff. He has shown his total knowledge of the game, serving as a position coach on both sides of the ball on teams that have finished in the top 25 in the nation. He is just the second assistant coach in Tiger history to serve as an a defensive assistant and offensive assistant on top-25 teams.
West is one of the most experienced and well-rounded coaches on the staff. The 2007 season is his 28th as a Division I assistant coach. He has had 11 years of experience on the defensive side, including seven as a coordinator, and 16 years of experience on the offensive side.
West was an offensive assistant in his first five years at Clemson and defensive assistant the last three years. He has helped bring Clemson to new heights, a resurgence similar to the one he helped generate as a player from 1977-78 at Clemson.
In his eight years at Clemson, the Tigers have won 60 games and played in seven bowl games. Clemson has had seven straight winning seasons, the second-longest streak of its kind in school history. He has been on the sidelines for all 120 of Bowden's games as a head coach (Clemson, Tulane).
In 2006, West coached one of Clemson's greatest players in history in Gaines Adams. He became just the second unanimous All-American in Tiger history, and he was named ACC Defensive Player-of-the-Year. Under West's direction, Adams tied Michael Dean Perry's career record for sacks with 28, including 12.5 in 2006, the third-best figure in the nation and second-best in Clemson history. Adams was the #4 overall pick of the draft in 2007.
His 2005 outside linebackers helped Clemson finish in the top 25 in six defensive categories. That included a #11 mark in scoring. In 2004, he moved to the defensive line, where he helped Clemson lead the ACC in sacks. His unit was a reason Clemson allowed just 12.2 points during the last six games.
In 1999, West inherited the nation's smallest offensive line and Clemson's youngest starting five interior linemen since 1943. All the offense did was average 403 yards per game, then the third-highest figure in school history, and score 42 touchdowns, fifth-highest in Tiger history. His group helped pave the way for an offense that set 26 school records.
The records continued to fall in 2000, as 47 more offensive marks were set, including total offense. Balance was the watchword in 2000, and the play of the offensive line was a key. Clemson was just one of six schools to average at least 200 passing yards and 200 rushing yards.
The 2003 season saw Clemson average 420 yards per game, the fourth-highest total in Tiger history. The team's 5.7-yards-per-play figure was second-best. The play of the offensive line had much to do with the Tigers setting the school mark for passing yards, completions, and touchdown passes.
West was a member of two Gator Bowl teams as a reserve offensive lineman in 1977 and 1978. As a Tiger, he saw action in over 200 plays as a reserve on the right side of the offensive line in 1978. He transferred to Clemson from Marion Institute, where he was a junior college All-American.
Clemson finished 1978 with an 11-1 record and was ranked #6 in the final AP Poll. A versatile player, West started two games that year, one at right guard against Virginia Tech and one at right tackle against Virginia. He spent most of his time as Joe Bostic's backup. Clemson was 19-4-1 in his two years.
When West first left Clemson, he became a graduate assistant coach at Livingston. He met Bowden shortly thereafter during a four-month stint at East Carolina in the spring of 1980. West went on to coach the offensive line at North Texas in 1980.
In 1981, he joined Texas Tech as an offensive line and special teams coach. He served in that capacity for four years before switching to defense in 1985 as the assistant linebackers coach.
His next stop was Louisiana-Lafayette, where he spent seven years as defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach. His defenses were among the nation's top 20 in total defense three times.
After leaving Louisiana-Lafayette, he joined Baylor's staff as offensive line coach. The 1994 team was co-winner of the Southwest Conference title. That season, the offensive line helped set the school record for points and touchdowns. In his final year, he served as running-game coordinator.
West joined the Tulane staff in 1997. His influence on the offensive line was felt immediately. The offensive line helped it produce almost 4,700 yards of total offense and a school-record 375 points. The offensive line gave up just 11 sacks as well.
In 1998, on the way to a 12-0 record, the offensive line helped Tulane become the only school in the nation to average over 300 passing yards and 200 rushing yards during the regular season. The team was among the nation's top 25 in both categories throughout the season.
West is married to the former Becky Horne. The couple has two children, Brad (24) and Lori (21). Brad was a starting linebacker on Appalachian State's 2005 Division I-AA National Championship team. He is now an assistant coach at Appalachian State. Lori is a sophomore at Clemson.