“Based on emails, text messages and phone records, Tommy Elrod, a radio announcer for Wake Forest football games, provided or attempted to provide confidential and proprietary game preparations on multiple occasions, starting in 2014,” the school said. “No members of the Wake Forest athletic department, football staff or players were involved in any way in these actions.”

AD

AD

Elrod, Wake Forest noted, had been a Deacons player himself, from 1993 to 1997, and he later worked as an assistant in the football program for 11 years. That stint ended in 2014, when Clawson was hired and declined to retain Elrod, among others.

The implication there is that Elrod, who moved to the radio booth following the loss of a his job as a team assistant, was bitter at Clawson and took revenge by undermining the new coach. Elrod has thus far not made any public comment on his firing.

Wake Forest said that it began an investigation after a 44-12 loss to Louisville on Nov. 12, attempting to “determine if confidential and proprietary game preparation information had been compromised.” USA Today reported that staffers for the program “discovered materials left behind by Louisville [that] indicated the Cardinals were prepared for plays the Demon Deacons had not run before.”

AD

AD

“I am extremely disappointed that our confidential and proprietary game preparation was compromised,” Clawson said in a statement. “It’s incomprehensible that a former Wake Forest student-athlete, graduate assistant, full-time football coach and current radio analyst for the school would betray his alma mater. We allowed him to have full access to our players, team functions, film room and practices. He violated our trust which negatively impacted our entire program. I am glad we have taken steps to ensure it will not happen in the future. At this point, this is a matter for [Athletic Director] Ron Wellman and others to act on. My staff and I are focused on Temple and preparing the team for the Military Bowl.”

“I have known Tommy Elrod since his days as a player on our football team,” Wellman said. “I’m deeply disappointed that he would act against Wake Forest, our football team and our fans in such a harmful manner by compromising confidential game preparation information. It is a relief that the team can move forward without his actions further undermining the positive strides Dave Clawson, his staff and the team have made.”