Virtually every college athletic director in the country keeps a list of potential coaching candidates in the top drawer of his or her desk, just in case.

It’s a good bet that Dave Clawson’s name appears at or near the top of most of those football lists. And Dave Doeren’s name is probably on the rest.

With plenty of overlaps.

There’s a good reason the Wake Forest and NC State coaches are among the first to be mentioned anytime a Power 5 job comes open.

They’re personable, driven individuals who run their programs the right way and have established a culture of winning at schools not considered to be traditional college football powerhouses.

Those also happen to be the reasons why they’re 2 of the longest-tenured coaches in the ACC, with Doeren getting ready to start his 11th season with the Wolfpack and Clawson coming up on Year 10 with the Deacons.

Despite all the opportunities each has almost certainly been presented over the years, they’ve resisted the urge and the financial benefits of moving elsewhere in search of new challenges, understanding that what works at Wake Forest and NC State might not necessarily work elsewhere.

That’s particularly true with Clawson.

Speculation surrounding his interest in the Northwestern job began swirling almost immediately after Pat Fitzgerald was fired in the fallout over a hazing scandal within his program.

It made sense. At face value, at least.

Clawson is well versed in the ins and outs of building a winner as the smallest fish in a big Power 5 pond. His current streak of 7 straight bowls is the longest in Wake Forest history.

He’s used to working around the challenges of budgetary restraints and higher academic standards. He has a history of fixing broken programs. And his trademark slow-mesh RPO offense has produced a brand of entertaining, high-scoring football that fans want to see.

But there’s no guarantee that success in Winston-Salem, N.C., will translate as well to a university in Chicago. Or in the Big Ten. Or that the administration of a new school will give the coach and his program the kind of support he currently enjoys.

Over the past 7 years, Wake Forest has spent more than $120 million on facility upgrades, including a newly opened football training complex with all the bells and whistles.

“There’s this old narrative that somehow Wake Forest isn’t as committed to football as other Power 5 schools,” Clawson said at the ACC’s Football Kickoff media event in Charlotte last week. “That narrative from the 1950s to 2000, I wish it would go away.”

While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to be upwardly mobile, Clawson – like Doren – realizes that it’s not necessarily the fast lane to happiness and success. 

There’s something to be said for staying in one place for an extended period of time if it happens to be the right place.

“The reason I got into coaching college football are all the things we do at Wake Forest,” Clawson said. “We recruit high-character young men that care about their schoolwork. They graduate. They have very exciting trajectories after Wake Forest, whether it be in the NFL or other professions.

“I don’t have to fight my conscience going to work every day. That’s a great feeling as a football coach — that when you go to work every day at a school that your value system aligns with the institution.”

Doeren is just as good a fit for the personality of his school.

While Clawson is a soft-spoken, understated gentleman with patience, honesty and a firm understanding of how things are done at Wake Forest, the NC State coach – to use his own words – is a hard-working, blue collar, hands-in-the-dirt kind of guy who demands toughness from his players without having to resort to the typical cliché tough guy tactics.

He’s also had his chances to leave, including rumors that he turned down the Tennessee job in 2017.

But he’s stayed put, in large part because of the bond he’s formed with the Raleigh community in general through his charitable works and the Wolfpack’s demanding fan base through the results of his teams.

With 72 victories since coming to State in 2013, he’s 6 away from surpassing Earle Edwards and becoming the winningest coach in school history.

“It’s a blessing to be at this school this long,” Doeren said. “I came to NC State for the same reason I’m still there. It’s a great fit. I honestly hope that they let me finish here. That’s my goal, to retire here one day (as) the winningest coach in school history and then be able to go to the parking lot and tailgate myself and have some fun.”

The roots Doeren has planted in Raleigh have clearly grown deep. So have Clawson’s in Winston-Salem.

And yet, as entrenched as they are at their respective schools, both will continue to be mentioned any time an opening comes up. And athletic directors throughout college football will continue to have their names at or near the top of their coaching wish lists. 

Just in case.