"Rob and I met in 1992 and have been sharing ideas and visiting each other's programs on a consistent basis since then," Marrone said. "I am truly excited that now we finally have a chance to work side-by-side."
Spence has connections to New York state, as a native of Pelham (N.Y.), and to the Syracuse area, where his step-father and family live.
"When I was finishing my college career I remember going into my stepdad's office in our house in Solvay and there were a bunch of boxes of Syracuse memorabilia from his brother, Thomas Spillett, who played here from 1958 through 1961," Spence said. "In these boxes were his old Syracuse Varsity jacket, playbooks and scouting reports from that era, and an Orange Bowl watch. When I sat there looking at these books I was going back in history with my family.
"To me Syracuse was a mecca of college football. It was synonymous with any place in the country that you wanted to talk about greatness in college football. I never envisioned at that point that I would be here today, representing this great University with such a great tradition in football. It is a really exciting moment in my life."
At Clemson, Spence led an offense that ranks among the all-time best at the school. His units enjoyed two of the top four most-productive offensive seasons in school history, while in each of his three seasons his quarterbacks had pass efficiency ratings in the top five on the school record list. The touchdown totals in two of his seasons rank among the top three in school history.
Spence directed an offense that produced was the most-balanced in the ACC during his three full seasons. That balance was one of the reasons why Clemson had two top-25 seasons, went to three bowl games, and won 25 games, the most victories in a three-year period since 1989-91. From 2005 through 2008, the Tigers were the only ACC team to finish in the top four in the league in rushing, passing, and total offense. Spence accomplished that feat with three different starting quarterbacks in Charlie Whitehurst (2005), Will Proctor (2006), and Cullen Harper (2007).
The 2007 offense averaged more than 400 yards and 33 points per game with a young group of Tigers at the skill positions. James Davis was a 1,000-yard rusher and Aaron Kelly was a 1,000-yard receiver, just the second time that Clemson had one of each in the same year.
Clemson led the ACC and set successive school records in scoring offense in 2006 and 2007. Harper established 22 school records directly under Spence's guidance, including 27 touchdown passes against six interceptions. He led the ACC in passing efficiency, the first Tiger to pace the ACC in that category since 1983.
In 2006, his second year as offensive coordinator, Clemson gained at least 2,500 yards rushing and passing, one of just four schools nationally to exceed those marks. It was also just the second time in school history it had been done. Clemson led the ACC and was in the top 13 in the nation in total offense, rushing offense, and scoring offense.
In his first season at Clemson, Spence directed one of the most-improved offenses in Tiger history. The Tigers improved 89 yards per game in total offense from 2004, the fourth-biggest jump in school history and the eighth-best improvement among Division I-A teams. His approach helped Clemson to an 8-4 record, including three wins over top-25 teams. The Tigers beat #16 Florida State and #19 South Carolina in consecutive games and then defeated Colorado in the Champs Sports Bowl.
Prior to his tenure at Clemson, Spence coached at Toledo from 2001-04, where the Rockets won 35 games and finished in the top 13 nationally in total offense and top-25 in scoring offense for four straight seasons. Twice in his four years, the Rockets were in the top 20 nationally in rushing, and twice the team was in the top 20 in passing. Spence guided an offense that averaged 474.1 yards and 35.2 points per game in the 2004 regular season that included a 9-3 overall record and MAC Championship. It was the third time in four years that Toledo played in the league championship game.
In 2000, Spence was the co-offensive coordinator at Louisiana Tech, where he tutored freshman All-American Luke McCown, who threw for 2,533 yards and 21 scores.
Spence had two stints at Hofstra as the offensive coordinator, including 1990 and from 1997-99, when he also coached the quarterbacks. In 1990, the Pride was ranked third nationally after finishing with a 12-1 record. During Spence's final season at Hofstra, the Pride averaged 34 points a game and the team had an 11-2 record and ranked fifth in the final national poll.
Prior to his second tenure at Hofstra, Spence was an assistant at Maryland (1992-96) under Mark Duffner, as the Terrapins set 70 school offensive records. With Spence as the quarterbacks coach in 1994, Maryland was 10th in the nation in passing. In 1991, he coached the quarterbacks at Holy Cross under Duffner, and he helped the Crusaders to an 11-0 record and a No. 3 national ranking.
Spence began his collegiate coaching career in 1989 as the offensive coordinator at Iona College, his alma mater. The team posted an 8-2 record that season.
Spence started coaching as an assistant at Pelham (NY) Memorial High School in 1981 before moving to Iona Prep School in 1982. He was the varsity offensive coordinator in 1982 and head junior varsity coach in 1983. Spence then became the head coach at Iona Prep in 1984, a position he held for five seasons until he started his college coaching career at Iona. His five-year head coaching record was 29-19-1 at Iona Prep.
A native of Pelham, N.Y., Spence played football at Saint Andrews School in Middletown, Del. (1972-75). He went on to play tight end at Iona from 1978-81. He earned his bachelor's degree in social work from Iona in 1981 and later earned his master's degree in education from Iona in 1990.
An avid runner who ran in the Boston Marathon in April of 2004, Spence and his wife, Susan, have two daughters, Samantha and Sydney Rae.