Ex-Willamette University Grid Coach moves East

Mark Speckman is now offensive coordinator at Pennsylvania’s Clarion University

Coach Mark Specimen-circa 2010

Mark Speckman, who led the Willamette University football program for 14 years, has moved to the East Coast to continue his well-traveled 40-plus year prep and college career.

Speckman, who most recently was assistant head football coach at University California-Davis, has accepted the offensive coordinator’s position at Division II Clarion University of Pennsylvania.  Speckman was at FBS-level Davis for five seasons.  He will be installing his familiar fly offense for the Clarion Golden Eagles gridiron program.

Previously, Speckman had served as head coach for a single season in 2012 at NAIA Menlo College of Northern California, before suddenly moving to the Canadian Football League to serve as running backs coach for the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes under Dan Hawkins for two seasons. Speckman also spent two seasons (2015-16) as the offensive coordinator at Wisconsin’s Division III Lawrence University.

From 1995 to 2011, Speckman coached at Willamette, first as offensive coordinator for three seasons under Hawkins, and then for 14 years as head coach.  As head man, Speckman compiled a record of 82-59 (.582), ranking him third all-time in career football victories for the Bearcats.  He was also a highly successful high school coach, recording 113 wins over 17 seasons at various high schools in Central California.

Speckman says the decision to leave UC Davis was a difficult one, but will allow him and his wife Sue to be much closer to family living in New York State.