AP
Axed Clemson coach Tommy Bowden sealed his own fate five months before the season even started.
In an interview last spring, Bowden told me -- as he did others -- that "on paper, since I've been at Clemson, this [season] is my best opportunity" to win the school's first ACC title since 1991. If you make that claim only to get eliminated from the race by the first week of October, what possible reason would anyone have to believe it's ever going to happen?
It took 10 years, but on Monday, Clemson administrators finally accepted this reality. They saw a team brimming with offensive weapons that started the season with a humiliating performance against Alabama, a subsequent loss to Maryland and, most gallingly, a 12-7 loss to Wake Forest last Thursday in which the Tigers looked completely inept offensively.
Bowden responded by brusquely demoting preseason ACC player of the year Cullen Harper, but Clemson's problems extended far beyond its struggling quarterback. Since starting the 2006 season 7-1, the Tigers have gone 13-11. In a memorable primetime rout of eventual division champ Georgia Tech at the apex of that 2006 run, tailbacks James Davis and C.J. Spiller combined for 338 rushing yards, eliciting seemingly limitless possibilities for the future. Neither has come close to recapturing that glory in the 24 games since.
Clemson could have allowed Bowden to hang around for the rest of the season, but then they would have risked him pulling … well, a Bowden. New QB Willy Korn would come in and lift the Tigers to a second-half surge, teasing Tigers fans yet again of the possibilities of something grander next year. Then next year would come, and Clemson would go 8-4 again.
It's been that kind of near-annual titillation that allowed Bowden to hang around as long as he did. Every time it looked like he was down to his last days, he'd pull some unexpected upset out of his hat. Every time expectations were low, the Tigers would exceed them, and every time expectations were high … well, see this year.
In hindsight, Bowden peaked eight years ago. Behind dynamic QB Woody Dantzler, the Tigers started the 2000 season 8-0 and reached the top five of the polls but eventually got spanked by Chris Weinke-led Florida State and lost to Virginia Tech in the Gator Bowl. That was also the last time Bowden had the services of offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez, his right-hand man on his undefeated 1998 Tulane team as well.
Bowden spent the next eight years chasing those glory days but could never put the pieces together offensively, even with the most talented core of skill players in the ACC these past three years. He got lapped by Wake Forest and Boston College in his own division. Not only had the fan base lost confidence but, based on recent comments, so too had his players.
While Clemson hardly qualifies as a "premier" destination, the job Bowden vacates will be plenty attractive to potential replacements. For one thing, the next coach will inherit what some dubbed the top recruiting class in the country last February, and Clemson's deep-pocketed boosters can pony up for just about anyone. (It's likely costing them several million to part ways with Bowden, who just got a new contract this past offseason.)
One obvious name that jumps to mind: Vanderbilt's Bobby Johnson. A South Carolina native and former Clemson cornerback, Johnson spent 25 years coaching in the state (including one season as Clemson's defensive coordinator) prior to taking the Vandy job in 2002. Meanwhile, he's done more this season with a cast of largely unsung players than Bowden did with a roster full of blue-chippers.
Janipher Choi
Tori Praver
Mavs Dancers
College Football, Top 25 Review
Comments (70) Add A Comment
I bet I could count the number of times Clemson has choked, so you're right b/c a good coach makes his team better as the season progresses.
Bobby Johnson would be a great pick, but a coach that makes his team "bad to good" is different from a "good to great" kind of coach. Bowden was neither, but we'll see if Bobby Johnson is both.
How 'bout joining my…
Gainesville, GA
Total Comments (1720)
I like Bobby Johnson, his style is more the old Clemson smash mouth way. If he can win at Vandy then he could do great things with the resources they have at Clemson. An alternative certainly is Dabo Swinney, who is an excellent recruiter and should get a serious look as coach. Ideally both on CU staff would be great.
TURFKING
Fort Myers , FL
Total Comments (1)
Johnson? Ya think? I thought the timing was more about locking up Lane Kiffin before another school (Tennessee, Auburn) threw money the kind of money his way that Clemson would be loathe to match.
Joeski
Seattle , WA
Total Comments (18)
Turfking, Bowden won at Tulane so you would think he could have done great things at Clemson, Tulane has less to work with than Vandy........ don't go for Kiffin cause I hope Auburn goes for him soon if we fire Tubs sorry a$$
AULloyd
Live Oak, TX
Total Comments (16)
As a USC fan I strongly urge this team to go after Kiffin, the guy will be great wherever he goes, but it would be nice to see him go to a school that is not afraid to do whatever it takes to win ball games. Clemson, Auburn, Tennessee I suggest you start getting ready to sign a hefty check when this young coach auctions himself out.
slideshow23
Avondale, AZ
Total Comments (8)
I would ride a bicycle to California to pick him up and pedal my **** off back to Alabama if it would bring him to Auburn.......I have been calling for him to come to Auburn for weeks, he came from the best college program in America when it comes to recruiting and coaching up players and getting the best out of them. Please fire Tuberville and bring in Kiffin
AULloyd
Live Oak, TX
Total Comments (16)
I can't fault Clemson for firing Tommy Bowden and striving to be an elite program. The problem lies in Clemson fans' belief that they were once an elite program that just hasn't lived up to their past performances. No matter how much Clemson fans wish it, the fact is that Clemson has never been an elite program. Clemson is historically a slightly above average team that has a couple of really good years every now and then. (Like many schools.) Clemson's lifetime winning percentance: .591. Tommy Bowden's winning percentage at Clemson: .615. The truly elite football teams (USC, Ohio St., Michigan, Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, Notre Dame) all have lifetime winning percentages over .700.
Calterp
Marina Del Rey, CA
Total Comments (1)
Just another team to get on the coaching carousel. Georgia Tech's Paul Johnson is the best coach out there - hard nosed defense, good offense, plays to the strengths of his players.
Clemson coaches and fans should not have been so optimistic - not with so many green O-line and D-line guys. They got manhandled against Bama, and couldn't clock out other teams. Games are won and lost in the trenches. Doesn't matter who your skill players are.
asdfgaeb
Total Comments (92)
I wish San Diego State would fire their coach in the middle of our much worse season.
GD in Esco
Escondido , CA
Total Comments (17)
how can you possibly want to get rid of tuberville? he is 81-34 (70.4%)! you would be crazy to get rid of him because they had a bad year!
andyaveritt
Total Comments (80)
If you were an Auburn fan you would understand. He promises and makes statements he cant accomplish..He always underachieves with teams, he loses to Miss St, Vandy, Arkansas when they are horrible, USF, Ga Tech and the list goes on. We have way better talent than these teams but Tubs shows no emotion and no give a sh**.....He is paid way to much to underachieve......he wins 70% of his games but he and Auburn are about to get left in the dark by UGA, Bama, Florida, UT, Arkansas, Ole Miss real quick if he stays .......The only time he has showed any fight was in 04 when they tried to back door him in 03, the team fed off him and went 13-0 but the rest of the team he half **** it versus supbar opponents and the team follows his lead. I gurantee we would be 7-0 or 6-1 if we had a coach with a clue and any fire inside of them.
AULloyd
Live Oak, TX
Total Comments (16)
In one respect the Bowden firing is smart as it gives Clemson a running start on finding a replacement. But if they wait until Johnson can talk to them they lose the advantage. By then several other big names may know they are in the market for a change. In my opinion the best prospects are from the mid-majors and none will jump ship now.
CharMit
Las Vegas , NM
Total Comments (846)
I think Auburn should give Tubberville a contract extension. He will get things worked out in the next few years. Be patient fans!
dino_martino
Birmingham, AL
Total Comments (5)
all idiot Bama fans think that dino......his time is up and I hope they finally can him. I have never liked him and now I really dislike him
AULloyd
Live Oak, TX
Total Comments (16)
Pretty stupid move when you are going to wind up paying him 4 mil more! The blame is always put on the coach. Anybody ever think that maybe this QB wasn't as good as everybody thought? Wake beat them by the skin on their teeth and Wake is supposed to be good this year? Fans are never satisfied with a winning record they always want more. Why is the dude from ND gone by now? He is nothing to write home about and neither is ND! For that matter why aren't LSU, OKA, Missu and many more coaches gone by now? They have lost when they were predicted to go all the way? Blame it on the coach never on the players or their abilities! Why isn't the dude from Mich gone by now after he moved from W.Virg. and was supposed to be so great - just another average coach. What makes Kiffin a winner when he can't even win at Oak? Bowden will find another job and probably do fine especially with the extra 4 mil he will receive from the dummies from Clemson! Maybe they (AD/regents/fans boosters) should be fired for just passing an extension that will cost them a ton! Who is the worse off! Bowden's crying all the way to the bank.
WallaB
Tucson , AZ
Total Comments (63)
As a Vanderbilt alum with a son at Clemson, I believe that Bobby Johnson is better off at VU and that Clemson is better off with someone else. Bobby has done a great job at Vanderbilt, but Clemson fans would not be excited by the hiring of a coach with no winning seasons. Bobby can stay at VU and be a hero by winning 5 or 6 games, but at Clemson he would have to deal with the exceedingly high expectations of Clemson fans.
pomonacal
Atlanta , GA
Total Comments (2)
I completely agree, it does give them a winning start. Kiffin would be one of the people they would go after I am sure. Kiffin has made it clear he wants to get back into college coaching.
KingFootball
Total Comments (1709)
I'm with Joeski. I think that this was done now so that they could get a jump start on other schools for some of the high profile coaches, whether Lane Kiffin or someone else. I can't imagine that Clemson has the finances to go into a bidding war with some of these others that are most likely to get rid of their coaches.
As far as Tubberville, from the way things are imploding if he doesn't beat Bama it is most likely over. No matter how many times he has beat us over the past few years.
E in Austin, Texas
Total Comments (882)
Clemson is not an elite school, but a comfortable Tier 2 school and a perfect opportunity for a coach trying to prove themselves before moving onto a high profile Tier 1 program.
With that in mind, how 'bout these coaches to fill the vacant spot?
1. Skip Holtz (ECU)
2. Turner Gill (Buffalo)
3. Randy Edsall (UConn)
run2bgug
Atlanta, GA
Total Comments (6)
I am not sure any of those would "rouse the fan base." They need a homerun.
Arkansas gave up good to get great last year. I would think Kiffin would be high on their list.
KingFootball
Total Comments (1709)
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