The Firing Line: Focus on Bowden - 9/30/2008

“The Firing Line” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on coaches around the country who are in serious jeopardy. The latest edition centers on Clemson’s Tommy Bowden…

Fan discontent is at abnormally high levels because, in the 10th year under Bowden, the Tigers haven’t shown signs of fulfilling the great expectations they carried into the season. Even Bowden’s job security — thought to be strong after he signed a major contract extension last December — appears on shaky ground, according to sources. At this point, anything short of a trip to Tampa for the ACC title game could bring a change. But Bowden, who has gone 10-10 in his past 20 games against Football Bowl Subdivision teams, says he’s been through this drill before. The Tigers get this weekend off before a Thursday night trip to Wake Forest on Oct. 9. “In the 10 years I’ve been here, this is surely not the first time this has happened,” he said of speculation about his job security. “That’s kind of what you do is motivate your team and get them back up after a loss. That’s kind of what coaching is. … There’s major disappointment inside this building, and I know it is outside the building also. You feel the pain of not only disappointing yourself and your players, but 80,000 people.” – Post & Courier

Five games and two losses into the season, Clemson coach Tommy Bowden is defending himself, his program, and his offensive coordinator. This, from the coach who just got a contract extension and was the overwhelming preseason favorite to win the program’s first ACC title since 1991… “If you look at the penalties and when you got them — I don’t know,” Bowden told reporters. “Y’all might call plays differently, but I’ve done it for a long time. And there’s not much more we could have done.” Well, that’s a problem, because even with his contract extension, the Tigers are going to have to do a lot more this season in order for Bowden to get another chance at falling below expectations. – ESPN

Just five games into the season, Clemson Coach Tommy Bowden finds himself in a tight spot with last week’s loss to Maryland. Then again, Bowden has had plenty of experience the past 9 1/2 seasons navigating through the hottest of waters. The latest problem came Saturday, the Tigers (3-2, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) squandering an 11-point halftime lead in a 20-17 loss to the Terps. Clemson’s players were already battered from a season-squelching first-game loss to Alabama. Now they’ve got the memory of angry Death Valley fans booing loudly as time ran out. Bowden remained confident in offensive coordinator Rob Spence and his playcalling. Bowden also said he wasn’t considering benching QB Cullen Harper. What’s got Bowden worried, though, are his players’ psyches heading into the off week. – Orlando Sentinel