Urban Meyer Supports Bobby Bowden

How do I know the end is near for Bobby Bowden?   Because on Monday University of Florida football coach Urban Meyer came out in support of the iconic Florida State coach.  Rule of thumb: When the coach of your biggest rival likes you and wants you to stay, it usually means it’s time to go.   ”I have great respect for coach Bowden, and we’ve become pretty good friends,” Meyer said Monday as pressure mounted for Bowden to step down at the end of this season. “It’s the nature of the beast. It’s not the positive part of this coaching profession. There are so many positives, and that’s the back end of the negative. I just have a lot of respect for him.” – Orlando Sentinel

Tommy Bowden on Bobby Bowden

So when Jim Smith, chairman of Florida State’s board of trustees, publicly stated recently he believes it’s time for the Bobby Bowden era to end at FSU in favor of Jimbo Fisher, it didn’t shake the foundation of the Bowden family. “It’s a big boys game,” said Tommy Bowden, one of Bobby’s coaching sons, prior to serving as guest speaker at Monday night’s CellularSouth 1st and 10 Club meeting at Heron Lakes Country Club. “Terry (North Alabama head coach), myself and my father always understood that. If you can’t handle criticism, then you don’t need to get into (coaching).” As for Smith’s statements, Bowden — who was fired in the middle of last season at Clemson — said there’s no one better prepared to handle such a situation than his father. “At 80,” Bowden said of his father, “you don’t feel much pressure. Maybe his bladder,” he joked. – Mobile Press-Register

Dabo Swinney the Wrong Hire at Clemson?

Sometimes, you get what you pay for. Last fall, Clemson had a chance to completely remake its program following Tommy Bowden’s departure. Starting in mid-October, athletic director Terry Don Phillips traveled the nation, talking with seasoned coordinators and sitting head coaches in search for Bowden’s optimal replacement. In the end, he settled on a choice he had available all along — interim coach Dabo Swinney — who had never been a head coach, much less a coordinator. Five games into Swinney’s first season, that decision threatens to turn the Tigers’ 2009 campaign into a learning experience, but not a winning one. Following Saturday’s disastrous 24-21 loss at Maryland, Clemson is 2-3, 1-2 in the ACC, heading into this week’s much-needed open date. And unless an anemic offense improves soon, even six wins and an Emerald Bowl trip might be a stretch. It’s time to admit the truth: like it or not, Swinney and much of his offensive staff are learning on the job, and that’s no way to win college football games. Right now, the Tigers have a rookie head coach, a 30-year-old, first-time offensive coordinator (Billy Napier) and a rookie quarterback (redshirt freshman Kyle Parker). Their offense has scored two offensive touchdowns in its last 13 quarters. – Independent Mail

Randy Shannon off the hot seat?

Tonight is the game Randy Shannon has been building his past couple of years toward. it’s the one where Miami fans legitimately can say they’re on their way back. They aren’t there with a win tonight. Being back to Miami would mean running the table on these first four games - and I still think there’s some growing to be done before that. But Miami has put in enough building blocks for a win tonight against Georgia Tech. Scouts Inc. agrees in its analysis of the game — pointing out the beef on Miami’s interior being key to stopping the 1920s Georgia Tech offense. A healthy Eric Moncur at defensive end adds to that. What underlines the thought of Miami being back though is you saw some things against Florida State that you haven’t seen in a while. Namely, big-play makers at wide receiver. Shannon has been talking for a while about better recruiting. You can go down the list of receivers and see just what he’s talking about. – Sun-Sentinel

Al Groh on Way Out at Virginia?

Virginia coach Al Groh’s seat went from lukewarm to hot in one half. There were plenty of reasons to doubt Virginia’s bowl eligibility this fall — the Cavaliers lost their top five pass catchers from a year ago, their leading rusher, three standout linebackers, and brought in a new offensive coordinator with a new offense. There were no excuses, though, to lose to William & Mary, 26-14. There are never any excuses for seven turnovers. It was the Tribe’s first win over an FBS opponent since 1998 and the first against an ACC opponent since it beat — go figure, Virginia — in 1986. This loss will linger over the conference like Clemson’s did last year, but this one is even more embarrassing. – ESPN.com

Rich Rodriguez partnered with banned booster

University of Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez forged a business partnership with a Clemson University booster who was banned from the program and recently was charged with five felony fraud counts, records show. The booster, Clegg Lamar Greene, a businessman from Gafney, S.C., had a misdemeanor conviction on his record when Rodriguez and three other men partnered with him in a proposed condominium project near the Virginia Tech football stadium in Blacksburg, Va. The project never materialized and the group defaulted on the loan, according to a federal lawsuit filed last month. – Detroit Free Press

The Name Game: Patterson, Grobe, Muschamp on Clemson’s List

“The Name Game” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on active coaching searches around the country. The latest edition centers on the Clemson Tigers…

The Clemson search still seems to be centered on Kiffin, Muschamp, Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster, TCU coach Gary Patterson, Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe and Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson. Interim coach Dabo Swinney is a possibility, but he faces long odds. There is talk in some circles that Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt may be interested in the Clemson job. – Rivals.com

Tennessee will have competition for Leach, who also will be in the crosshairs at Clemson and Washington. – Rivals.com

Scoop: Clemson Search Heats Up

Scoop: Clemson Search Heats Up

Dabo Swinney is a legitimate candidate for the Clemson job. Clemson AD Terry Don Phillips wants to lift the interim tag, but powerful boosters are telling him that would not be wise – if he wants to hold onto his job. Swinney has the rest of the season to change their minds.

If Swinney lands the job, look for him to name David Blackwell his defensive coordinator and say goodbye to Vic Koenning.

If Swinney does not land the job, Texas DC Will Muschamp appears to be the Tigers top target with Vandy Coach Bobby Johnson not far behind him. Johnson doesn’t currently have a lot of support from the Clemson fan base.

Texas Tech Coach Mike Leach would love to be considered for the Clemson gig, but we hear he is unlikely to garner serious consideration.

TCU’s Gary Patterson’s name is a new name were hearing more often in relation to the Clemson job should other options fall through.

The Tigers were prepared to make a run at Michigan Coach Rich Rodriguez – and even put out preliminary feelers. While we’re told Rod is not happy with the Wolverines, he did sign a six year contract last week, so that makes a move unlikely. However, we’re talking about Rich Rodriguez here….

Lane Kiffin has been putting himself out there for the Clemson job, but the Tigers have little interest in him despite what Kiffin’s media mouthpieces say.

Rapid Fire: Focus on Marshall and Clemson

“Rapid Fire” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on multiple coaches around the country who are in serious jeopardy. The latest edition centers on Marshall and Clemson…

Marshall

Saturday, I saw Snyder on a rerun local TV clip talking about the Edwards Stadium “White Out” for Cincinnati’s visit that turned ugly. Now, it’s a “Green Out” against the Cougars? Snyder needs to worry that it isn’t a Wipe Out - because if it is, he may be on the way to a Wash Out. He needs to forget about what goes on in the seats. Win, and you sell tickets. Marshall (3-4, 2-1) has more than given back what it gained with its 2-0 Conference USA divisional start, but what roils the Herdheads who are increasingly hounding Snyder is this: The program just hasn’t improved - or at least shown it - for whatever reason. And the buck stops with the head coach, whether he’s named Stagg, Saban, Schwartzalder or Snyder… If the Herd doesn’t get at least two more to finish 5-7, Snyder might be a former coach at his alma mater. My preseason crystal ball had MU at 6-6, but I always thought that Snyder could hang on at 5-7 because it would be an improvement from last season’s 3-9 finish. Now, the noise is so loud, I’m not sure. The rumors are ugly … Athletic Director Bob Marcum will be booted if he doesn’t can Snyder, 43. High rollers will roll over President Steve Kopp to get a new coach. Jim Donnan is waiting in the wings to return. – Daily Mail

Clemson

By the end of this month, Clemson fans curious about their program’s direction should spout those same words, with a twist: “Are you better off than you were four games ago?” Your answer might decide Dabo Swinney’s future. After a much-hyped debut and a week off, the Tigers’ popular interim coach embarks on a four-game stretch which will largely determine whether he will be packing his bags or getting comfortable in Tommy Bowden’s old office come Dec. 1. – Independent Mail

The Name Game: Swinney Make Stick at Clemson

“The Name Game” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on active coaching searches around the country. The latest edition centers on the Clemson Tigers…

As signs go, Phillips’ little exercise was the strongest indication yet that Swinney — Clemson’s interim head coach — will be given every opportunity to win the job permanently. During a 30-minute meeting with state reporters Tuesday, Phillips, Clemson’s athletic director and Swinney’s boss, made it clear that he will conduct — and in fact has already begun — a search for Tommy Bowden’s replacement. At the same time, he made it clear Swinney isn’t just keeping the seat warm for the next coach. “Dabo will not change in a number of weeks from now,” Phillips said. “He’s still going to be a very good, bright young coach after the season, as he is now. The only thing that will change is the win-loss thing. “I believe Dabo will be a good head football coach. Somewhere. Maybe here. Maybe somewhere else. I don’t know.” – Independent Mail

When athletics director Terry Don Phillips installed Dabo Swinney as interim coach last week, he told the coaching staff that choosing the next Clemson coach would be “easy” if things played out as expected. Even though the Tigers lost to Georgia Tech 21-17 in Swinney’s debut, Phillips sounded Tuesday as if the outcome supported that statement. Through an intermediary, Clemson has begun to gauge interest in the job. However, candidates for the Clemson job are not afforded Swinney’s six-game audition with the Tigers. Phillips praised the changes Swinney has made to unite a team and its fans. – The State

Dabo Swinney hasn’t won a game as Clemson’s interim football coach, but he’s already gone a long way toward winning over his boss. Athletic director Terry Don Phillips didn’t come out Tuesday and say Swinney has an excellent shot at securing the position permanently, but he created that impression with profuse praise of Swinney’s first week on the job. “I think Dabo has very special intangibles — leadership intangibles,” Phillips told reporters. “The things he did last week, he did intuitively, he did instinctively, and he did because that’s the foundation of where he’s coming from.” Five days after he promoted Swinney to head coach in the wake of Tommy Bowden’s forced resignation, Phillips saw an inspired team against Georgia Tech. The Tigers overcame a 14-3 halftime deficit and led 17-14 going into the fourth quarter before the Yellow Jackets drove for the go-ahead touchdown and won, 21-17. Phillips was profoundly impressed by how the 38-year-old Swinney drummed up excitement from not only his players, but fans as well. – Post & Courier

Clemson has lost several verbal commitments since Tommy Bowden’s departure, so hiring a coach quickly after the regular season’s conclusion is crucial to rebuilding and holding together the 2009 signing class. Phillips said he hopes to “work with a sense of urgency” and hire a coach “as quick after the regular season as we can possibly do it, and perhaps even before, depending on who’s involved and who’s not involved.” He confirmed that Clemson has retained “an intermediary” who has already begun vetting potential outside replacements, helping Phillips “to gain a broad perspective of the field that’s out there, gain information about contractual issues and expectations and those kinds of things.” – Independent Mail

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