KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Richmond coach Dave Clawson resigned Friday and accepted a job as Tennessee's offensive coordinator.

Clawson, who led the Spiders (11-3) to the Football Championship Subdivision semifinals this season, steps up to the major college level and will work under coach Phillip Fulmer. After four years at Richmond, Clawson was ready to move to the Football Bowl Subdivision.

"This was always a goal professionally and a dream of mine," Clawson said. "This is not the first phone call I've had for an opportunity like this, but this was the first one that excited me. I really believe Tennessee is one of the premier football programs in the country."

Clawson replaces David Cutcliffe, who left Tennessee to take over as head coach at Duke.

Clawson is credited with re-energizing the Richmond program. After going 3-8 in 2004, the Spiders went 9-4 and made the playoffs the following year. This season, Richmond was beaten in the semifinals by eventual champion Appalachian State.

Tennessee officials planned to introduce the new coordinator on Saturday morning.

Clawson, a two-time Division I-AA coach of the year, also will coach quarterbacks, as Cutcliffe did for the Vols. He also spent five years coaching Fordham and was the offensive coordinator at Lehigh and Villanova, where he worked with Tennessee's new running backs coach Stan Drayton.

"His multiple offensive system using the talents of the players available to their fullest has been impressive," Fulmer said. "He has a great passion for recruiting, which is important for Tennessee, and his experience as a head coach will serve us well."