Bonus Post: Bowden Fired!

In a special bonus post this week, I'm pleased to finally report the termination of head coach Tommy Bowden. Over the years, Bowden has seemingly had more lives than Rasputin, pulling out job-saving victories over highly ranked opponents time and again. One too many losses against clearly inferior teams finally proved to be his undoing, as Bowden and Clemson came to agreement to end their relationship during his 10th season. This morning, Athletic Director Terry Don Phillips issued an ultimatium that the Tigers win the ACC Atlantic Division. As soon as that was no longer mathematically possible, Bowden would be released from his contract. Tommy thought about this challenge and ultimately decided that it would be best to end his association with Clemson now under his own terms.

Make no mistake, Bowden has done a lot for Clemson. He took an ACC also-ran team and elevated into the occasional Top 25 appearance and qualified for a bowl game in all nine full seasons (Clemson refused all bowl invitations in 2005 after a season-ending brawl with rival South Carolina). Bowden also ran a relatively clean program and graduated players at one of the highest rates of all FCS schools. There is no doubt that Bowden leaves Clemson as a much better place than when he arrived. However, it was clear he had lost control of the team and comments from current players C.J. Spiller and Cullen Harper indicated as much.

For the remainder of the season, it will be up to former WR coach Dabo Sweeny to rally the team around Willy Korn and salvage a bowl appearance. Sweeny has been named the head coach on an interim basis, and it remains to be seen who the permanent replacement will be. Offensive coordinator Rob Spence was also (thankfully) relieved of his duties. For the first time in a while, there is optimism about the long-term future of Clemson football. For Tiger fans, October 13, 2008 will always be Bowden Liberation Day.