Tommy Bowden gone

[Costa]

I know it doesent really concern USF, but what are your thoughts on Clemson giving TB the axe?

I think he should have been fired. He has so much talent on that team and he couldnt do any better than a 3-3 record.

[tbbulls]

I know it doesent really concern USF, but what are your thoughts on Clemson giving TB the axe?

I think he should have been fired. He has so much talent on that team and he couldnt do any better than a 3-3 record.

wow didn't see that one comming  :

how long before we get the mandatory J L rummors about going to clemson?

[Woogie53]

I spoke with a Clemson booster this morning (before they fired him) we talked about who they should replace him with. He was saying that a bunch of the big boosters want the Vandy coach.

[tbbulls]

check out the article from espn I thought Jeff Garcia and Coach Gruden had a bad relationship :nutkick

Sources: Bowden fired at Clemson after 3-3 start

By Mark Schlabach

ESPN.com

Updated: October 13, 2008, 1:10 PM ET

Clemson fired football coach Tommy Bowden on Monday, four days after the Tigers lost to Wake Forest and fell to 3-3, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation.

[glow=red,2,300]It's what he deserved. Dabo Swinney is a fine man and will do an excellent job. [/glow] 

-- Clemson QB Cullen Harper

Bowden informed his assistant coaches of his firing this morning. Assistant head coach/wide receivers coach Dabo Swinney has been named the team's interim coach for the final six regular-season games and potential bowl game.

Clemson has scheduled a late-afternoon news conference.

"They just told us. It's what he deserved," said senior quarterback Cullen Harper, who was benched after the Tigers' loss to Wake Forest loss and replaced by highly regarded sophomore Willy Korn. "Dabo Swinney is a fine man and will do an excellent job."

Clemson's 10th season under Tommy Bowden unraveled quickly. The Tigers were expected to contend for the ACC title.

Harper struggled playing behind an inexperienced offensive line this season. His father, Jeff Harper, an offensive lineman on Georgia's 1980 national championship team, said Bowden's dismissal was justified.

[glow=red,2,300]"I'd call it karma," he said. "I thought it needed to be done. I think anytime a head coach or someone in a leadership position starts to place blame on his coaches and players, it weakens their respect on the team. His past experiences have shown he's done that." [/glow]

The Tigers were ranked No. 9 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll and were favored to win their first ACC championship in Bowden's 10th season as coach. But Alabama blasted the Tigers 34-10 in the Aug. 30 opener in Atlanta's Georgia Dome, and Clemson then lost to Maryland at home and again to Wake Forest to drop its record to 1-2 in ACC play.

Bowden received a lucrative contract extension from Clemson following the 2007 season and after considering a potential coaching position at Arkansas. The son of Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, Tommy Bowden was 72-45 with eight bowl appearances at Clemson.

Clemson center Thomas Austin was "caught off guard" by Bowden's firing.

"You hear rumors, but I've heard that before, so I'm definitely surprised," Austin said. "We were definitely struggling. I think that this could hopefully unify our team in the long run. We've got six games left and definitely have the ability to turn things around."

Not offensive enough

Clemson coach Tommy Bowden was fired on Monday. His team's offensive struggles are a big part of the reason. A look at where Clemson ranks nationally in several key categories (per game).

Stat Avg. Rank

Total yards per game 354.5 73rd

Rush yards per game 141.5 41st

Pass yards per game 213.0 58th

Points per game 26.7 56th

Clemson running back C.J. Spiller had mixed emotions seeing Bowden let go.

"I'm shocked. We are 3-3 because we didn't make enough big offensive plays," Spiller said. "I'm shocked by our record and now I'm shocked that our coach is gone.

"I enjoyed playing for coach Bowden and I liked him, but in the end he was yelling at us to be leaders and it wasn't working. He did all he could to motivate us but guys weren't buying into what he was saying. And he said a lot of the same things over and over again.

"He let the offensive coordinator [Rob Spence] run the show and we got away from me and James [Davis]. I think part of the problem was when he benched Cullen. Some people wanted the offensive coordinator fired, [bowden benched] the quarterback and then he got fired."

Mark Schlabach covers college football for ESPN.com. Heather Dinich, who covers the ACC, and ESPN reporter Joe Schad contributed to this report.

[Apis Bull]

I know it doesent really concern USF, but what are your thoughts on Clemson giving TB the axe?

I think he should have been fired. He has so much talent on that team and he couldnt do any better than a 3-3 record.

wow didn't see that one comming  :

how long before we get the mandatory J L rummors about going to clemson?

They've already started.

[Costa]

Bobby Johnson is the Vandy coach.

Clemson fired their OC as well. I cant wait to hear all of the UCF fans calling for TB to come to UCF. I dont think TB would stoop down to that level to coach such a crappy program. He will most likely get another head coaching position somewhere else that is respectable.

[Mag Pie]

Their QB; Cullen, sounds like a little *****.  He was benched and then he makes comments like that.  While Clemson wasn't great, they've been to a bowl every year Tommy has been there, besides that one year that they got into a rumble with S. Carolina so they declined the invitation.

[Apis Bull]

Tommy Bowden is in trouble at Clemson. Thursday’s loss at Wake Forest left no doubt about that. The fact that Bowden actually is still a good coach is no longer

relevant.

He’ll land on his feet, assuming he still has an inner compass that will move him back to the offensive systems that made him such a hot target at Tulane in the mid 1990s.

But at this rate, the Tigers will be looking for a new football coach at season’s end. Here are 10 guys to keep an eye on:

1. Jim Leavitt, South Florida: Good with the spread option and a respectable staff organizer, he’s stayed true to the Bulls during the past two or three seasons. But with QB Matt Grothe likely to enter the April NFL draft, the timing (and money) could be right for Leavitt to make a move.

2. Jim Grobe, Wake Forest: The gloves have been dropped in the ACC, and Grobe will be seen as fair game by anyone, including Virginia in addition to the Tigers. But given Grobe’s success at Wake, it’d take a ton of money and even more national championship promise to lure him away. Clemson has plenty of money, but it’s no longer a national championship coaching destination.

3. Bobby Johnson, Vanderbilt: He’s a Clemson man and spent much of his life living in the upstate area. Whether it’s Clemson or somewhere else, Johnson and his staff will get offers to move on at season’s end.

4. Skip Holtz, ECU: No doubt, he’d prefer Notre Dame or maybe even South Carolina or Arkansas under the right circumstances. But what’s done in Greenville is nothing if not a resume builder.

5. Tommy Tuberville, Auburn: He’s almost left before, but his Tiger offense this season is a mirror image of Tommy the Clemson Tiger.

6. Mike Leach, Texas Tech: Sooner or later, somebody will lure Leach out of Lubbock. It’s inevitable.

7. Mack Brown, Texas: This is the longest of long shots, but Mack still loves the North Carolina mountains. He’s got a summer house near Boone. It’s just something to think about as we move along.

8. Chris Petersen, Boise State: He can spread it out, air it out and run it successfully to the weak side.

9. Bill Cowher, CBS: Laugh to your heart’s delight, but Coach Jawbone will get at least a phone call from any school in the general area that’s looking for a coach.

10. Steve Logan, Boston College offensive coordinator: Pound-for-pound, he’s still one of the very best offensive coaches in the business.

11. The field: Which includes David Cutcliffe of Duke, Houston Nutt of Ole Miss, Gary Pinkel of Missouri, Phil Fulmer of Tennessee and Bud Foster of Virginia Tech.

http://blogs.newsobserver.com/accnow/tudors-take-whos-next-at-clemson

[IncrediBULL]

Tommy Bowden is in trouble at Clemson. Thursday’s loss at Wake Forest left no doubt about that. The fact that Bowden actually is still a good coach is no longer

relevant.

He’ll land on his feet, assuming he still has an inner compass that will move him back to the offensive systems that made him such a hot target at Tulane in the mid 1990s.

But at this rate, the Tigers will be looking for a new football coach at season’s end. Here are 10 guys to keep an eye on:

1. Jim Leavitt, South Florida: Good with the spread option and a respectable staff organizer, he’s stayed true to the Bulls during the past two or three seasons. But with QB Matt Grothe likely to enter the April NFL draft, the timing (and money) could be right for Leavitt to make a move.

2. Jim Grobe, Wake Forest: The gloves have been dropped in the ACC, and Grobe will be seen as fair game by anyone, including Virginia in addition to the Tigers. But given Grobe’s success at Wake, it’d take a ton of money and even more national championship promise to lure him away. Clemson has plenty of money, but it’s no longer a national championship coaching destination.

3. Bobby Johnson, Vanderbilt: He’s a Clemson man and spent much of his life living in the upstate area. Whether it’s Clemson or somewhere else, Johnson and his staff will get offers to move on at season’s end.

4. Skip Holtz, ECU: No doubt, he’d prefer Notre Dame or maybe even South Carolina or Arkansas under the right circumstances. But what’s done in Greenville is nothing if not a resume builder.

5. Tommy Tuberville, Auburn: He’s almost left before, but his Tiger offense this season is a mirror image of Tommy the Clemson Tiger.

6. Mike Leach, Texas Tech: Sooner or later, somebody will lure Leach out of Lubbock. It’s inevitable.

7. Mack Brown, Texas: This is the longest of long shots, but Mack still loves the North Carolina mountains. He’s got a summer house near Boone. It’s just something to think about as we move along.

8. Chris Petersen, Boise State: He can spread it out, air it out and run it successfully to the weak side.

9. Bill Cowher, CBS: Laugh to your heart’s delight, but Coach Jawbone will get at least a phone call from any school in the general area that’s looking for a coach.

10. Steve Logan, Boston College offensive coordinator: Pound-for-pound, he’s still one of the very best offensive coaches in the business.

11. The field: Which includes David Cutcliffe of Duke, Houston Nutt of Ole Miss, Gary Pinkel of Missouri, Phil Fulmer of Tennessee and Bud Foster of Virginia Tech.

http://blogs.newsobserver.com/accnow/tudors-take-whos-next-at-clemson

Stupid on two accounts.  1, Matt Grothe is not expected to go to the NFL this year.  He is of questionable size even for next year, but doubful he will try to go after this season.  He is an outside chance at best due to his size. 

2 - CJL isn't going anywhere for money.  He already has that and is where he wants to be.  So I doubt he would consider it.  Also doubt they can pay him more than he is making.  USF is in a far better chance to succeed than Clemson is. Clemson would be a step backwards.

[Mag Pie]

And also...why the hell is the QB's dad talking to the media like that?  His son was benched and he's taking it out on the coach.

Sounds to me like Tommy tried to motivate the team and they didn't have it in them.  The team should have their own motivation also.  You can't make someone want to play to their fullest.  Their entire team now sounds like little bitches.