Will McClay begins his fourth season at the helm of the Dallas Desperados after leading his 2006 squad to a league-record tying 13-3 record. The team fell one game short of reaching ArenaBowl XX, but McClay was honored as the AFL's Coach of the Year.

McClay was named the Desperados head coach on Feb. 5, 2004 - just three days prior to kicking off the 2004 season - after former head coach Joe Avezzano announced his resignation to return to the NFL. With a 6-10 record in his first year at the helm, McClay improved the club's record in his second season to 8-7-1 and accomplished the same feat in his third season, leading the Desperados to their best record in franchise history, 13-3, their second division title - first ever Eastern Division title - and the team's third trip to the postseason. He remained the team's defensive coordinator for thee years while serving as the club's head coach, but will hand the defensive coordinator role to James Fuller for the 2007 season.

McClay played a key role in bringing quarterback Clint Dolezel to help lead Dallas to the playoffs and their second division crown in 2006. McClay was also instrumental on re-signing key starters in Dialleo Burks, Will Pettis, Jason Shelley and the 2006 AFL Lineman of the Year Colston Weatherington. While still holding onto the role of defensive coordinator, McClay's defensive unit was the stingiest in the league, allowing just 44.4 points-per-game. His work allowed Dallas to become just the fourth team in league history to lead the league in points-per-game while giving up the fewest points on defense. The defense's success is evidenced by allowing just seven points-or-less in 30 quarters and pitching shutouts in 11 of those quarters.

In McClay's second season leading the Desperados in 2005, he improved the club's 6-10 finish in 2004 to 8-7-1, and his defense finished the 2005 season as the league's stingiest in opponents completion percentage, allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete just 58.0% of their passes. His defense finished second in the league in passing yards-per-game allowed (238.3) and third in the league in yards-per-game allowed (261.8).

In addition to the pressure of becoming a first time head coach in 2004, McClay undertook the project of introducing former Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Colston Weatherington to the rigors of the AFL. Under McClay's watch, Weatherington was named to the AFL's All-Rookie Team, finished eighth in the league in sacks (5.5), and led the team with 7.5 tackles for losses, five blocked kicks and five quarterback pressures. Under McClay's tutelage, Weatherington has evolved into one of the most dominating pass rushers in the league, earning the AFL's Lineman of the Year award following the 2006 season after becoming the Desperados all-time sack leader (15.5).

Before taking on the role of head coach, McClay spearheaded Dallas's defensive attack. He was hired as the team's inaugural defensive coordinator in 2002, and his work helped the club make two playoff appearances and win a division title in its first two years of existence. In his first two seasons leading Dallas's defensive charge, the club was riddled with injuries and personnel movement, forcing him to piece together new defensive units on a regular basis. With a more stable defensive corps in 2004, the defense witnessed improvements in total yards-per-game allowed (288.7 in 2003 to 260.1 in 2004) and passing yards-per-game allowed (267.9 - 2003, 238.4 - 2004) while holding steady in rushing yards per game allowed (21.6 - 2003, 21.8 - 2004). The defense also saw an increase in sacks as they finished third in the league with 19.

In 2003, the Desperados defense consistently came up big at key moments in games. McClay had to work defensive specialist Jermaine Jones into the lineup when he came off the exempt list four weeks into the season, and Jones responded with a team record 73.5 tackles to earn selection to the AFL All-Rookie team. Will Pettis also made his indoor debut and earned second-team All-Arena and All-Rookie honors for his two-way performance, while lineman Tom Briggs earned first-team All-Arena, All-Ironman and AFL Lineman of the Year honors after finishing with career-high numbers in sacks (10.5), tackles (43.5), forced fumbles (four) and pressures (eight).

Despite losing defensive specialist Hassan Shamsid-Deen for the last half of the 2002 season and having to patch together the secondary on a weekly basis, McClay was able to get the most out of his players. Dallas finished the season sixth in rush defense (10.4 yards-per-game) and eighth in interceptions (17) while holding three teams to 226 total offensive yards-or-less. In only eight games, Shamsid-Deen posted five interceptions and was named "ADT" Defensive Player of the Week twice, while lineman Shante Carver and defensive specialist Kareem Larrimore were named to the All-Rookie Team.

In addition to his work with the Desperados, McClay also works in the Dallas Cowboys scouting department grading players on other NFL teams. Prior to joining the Desperados and Cowboys, McClay was the Assistant Director of Pro Scouting for the Jacksonville Jaguars. In his one season with the team (2001), he was charged with scouting NFL teams Jacksonville did not play and advance scouting work.

Before joining the Jaguars, McClay served as the Player Personnel Director of the XFL's Orlando Rage, as well as a consultant and scout, in the spring of 2001. The Rage finished the season 8-2 before falling in the first round of the playoffs.

Prior to moving into the personnel side of professional football, McClay spent 11 seasons in the AFL as a player and coach. He served as defensive coordinator and Director of Player Personnel for the Grand Rapids Rampage in 1998. He added the title of assistant head coach in 1999, when the Rampage improved to an 8-6 record after posting a 3-11 campaign the previous season. In 1997, he was the defensive coordinator and Director of Player Personnel for the Anaheim Piranhas after serving as the defensive coordinator for the Milwaukee Mustangs in 1995 and the Florida Bobcats in 1996. McClay was the secondary and special teams coach of the Detroit Drive in 1993, helping the team reach the ArenaBowl. From 1989-92, he was a wide receiver/defensive back for the Drive, helping lead them to three ArenaBowl titles in four appearances.

McClay was a four-year letterman and team captain as a defensive back at Rice (1985-88), starting every game of his collegiate career. He graduated in 1990 with a degree in political science. McClay, and his wife, Kim, have two sons, Bailey and Gabriel. Since coming to Dallas, McClay has become very active in supporting the North Texas community. Under his initiative, the Desperados Impact Player Program was created in 2003 in conjunction with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas. As part of the program, players and coaches visit area Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the Arena Football season and serve as positive role models to students involved in the centers' after school programs. McClay serves as an annual guest speaker for both the Dallas Cowboys Let Us Play! Sports Camp for Girls - a three-day camp for inner-city at-risk girls served by local non-profits - and the Dallas Cowboys summer Coaches Clinic - a free instruction seminar for youth and middle school football coaches from Texas, surrounding states and Salvation Army corps across the country. In 2004, McClay helped organize a volunteer shift for Desperados players, coaches and mascot Kid Coyote at the Santa's Helpers Toy Drive in downtown Dallas at the WFAA-TV studios to help accept and unload toys donated for underprivileged children. As an avid supporter of youth fitness initiatives, McClay worked diligently with the Dallas Cowboys in 2005 to bring new flag football programs to Dallas-Fort Worth area YMCAs.