Bowden to stay at Clemson
Mic Smith
The Post and Courier/File
Tommy Bowden
CLEMSON — Tommy Bowden will remain at Clemson after seriously considering a move to Arkansas.
Two sources familiar with his decision told The Post and Courier on Tuesday morning that Bowden, who was expected to receive a lucrative offer to be the Razorbacks coach, is staying with the Tigers.
It was not immediately clear if Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips made a counteroffer. Sources say Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long, a close friend of Bowden’s, was prepared to offer him a package of at least $2.5 million.
The news was confirmed later Tuesday morning, when Clemson announced Bowden had agreed to a contract extension. Terms of the deal were not
released.
"I'm very pleased with the contract extension agreement that we reached today," Bowden said in a statement released by Clemson.
As of late Monday night, all indications pointed to Bowden having a decision to make: head to Arkansas and take a fat pay raise, or remain at Clemson and accept a contract extension he had initially rejected.
Phillips and Bowden had been in negotiations for a week without coming to an agreement. Sources say Phillips offered to bump Bowden’s total package from $1.3 million to $1.59 million, plus a two-year extension to a contract that had three years remaining after this season. Bowden’s buyout drops from $2.5 million to $500,000 in a year, but Phillips offered to keep it at $2.5 million.
Apparently much of that was unacceptable to Bowden. Phillips had also rebuffed Bowden’s request for multi-year contracts for his nine assistant coaches.
Bowden, whose No. 15 Tigers (9-3) play No. 22 Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Bowl on Dec. 31, emerged as Arkansas’ top candidate after Long was rebuffed by Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville and North Carolina’s Butch Davis.
Bowden and Long coached together at Duke in 1986 and have remained close since. The Razorback Foundation, the fundraising arm of Arkansas’ athletic department, was expected to meet this morning to finalize a contract offer for Bowden.
The 53-year-old Bowden is 69-41 in nine years at Clemson with an ACC record of 42-30. The Tigers have been eligible for a bowl every year under his watch, and they secured their third nine-win season over that span with a 23-21 victory at South Carolina on Nov. 24.
Yet Bowden has never been fully embraced by Clemson faithful, and sources close to him say that’s a major reason he was seriously considering the move.
The past three years, the Tigers have fallen just short of the ACC title game. Clemson’s last ACC title was in 1991.
Reach Larry Williams at lwilliams@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
This article has 24 comment(s)
Posted by sickandtired on December 4, 2007 at 10:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Looks like another 10 years of losing to Clemson for the Bluff Rd. trailer trash convention.
Posted by nomoregoodolboy on December 4, 2007 at 11:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
ESPN is reporting that Bowden was gone this morning and only after Clemson came through with the extension did he change his mind.
Sure sounds like a guy who is happy at Clemson. Good job Bowden way to turn the screws on the Clemson AD and make them give you what you want.
I wonder what the Clemson fans are saying now. Earlier this morning there were glad to see him go. Now they are probably happy he is staying. Typical fair weather Clemson fans.
Posted by theronce on December 4, 2007 at 12:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Unfortunately, nomore, we do have our share of fair weather fans. I was once a student in the stands in 1969 complaining that our legendary coach was washed up, times had passed him by, etc. Then, I was in the stands with Hootie and Red. Bowden is a good person and a decent coach. I supported him when he got here and continue to support him. He will succeed. I do not think that you can win these days by rotating coaches. Young recruits like solidarity and commitment.
Posted by gaitor66 on December 4, 2007 at 12:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Tommy has had his ups and downs,as do alot of coaches but I truly think he is an asset.Tommy I for one am glad you are staying and I will support you wholeheartadly
Posted by BILLYBOB on December 4, 2007 at 12:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
COACHES WITH TEAMS GOING TO BOWL GAMES SHOULD NOT BE OFFERED JOBS BY OTHER SCHOOLS UNTIL AFTER THE BOWL GAME IS OVER.
Posted by genemcleod on December 4, 2007 at 1:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good news! The best is yet to come.
Posted by prosperous_hb on December 4, 2007 at 1:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wait until after the bowl game, he'll be gone; especially if they lose!
Posted by mdtpace on December 4, 2007 at 2:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
sickandtired, trailer trash is what Clemson aspires to, now go back to looking at the pictures of your wrasslin magazine until your the neighbor kids get home and can read the words to you
Posted by schleeve23 on December 4, 2007 at 2:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
mdtpace...Second Choice University calling Clemson students stupid? You must be pretty far removed. We own you academically too. Check the facts before you bring that weakness. BTW...when did Columbia, SC become the cultural center of the east coast? 23-21.
Posted by waterbug on December 4, 2007 at 2:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
lol!!!! Tha devil made me say this. What does MDT stand for ? MORE DAMN TRASH!!
Posted by waterbug on December 4, 2007 at 2:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
sorry mdt, i read your comment wrong.
Posted by theronce on December 4, 2007 at 2:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe Clemson can enhance its schedule by dropping Carolina and playing The Citadel.
Posted by TTBoy on December 4, 2007 at 4:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bowden is the state champ again - maybe usc can get another big name coach (w/ no game) to "turn" their program around. usc has been spinning around in the toliet for years, only one direction left for your team to go. (again)
Posted by youmanyo on December 4, 2007 at 5:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
10 things Bowden didn't do this year |
10. Lose to Stanford who had compiled a Pac-10 worst 1-11 season in 2006. Southern Cal was favored by 40 points over Stanford, making the game the largest point-spread upset in college football history.
But Pete Carroll did
9. Steal 4 million from your University while going 6-6 ?what?s that, 2 mill for every six wins and 2 mill for every 6 losses? (losing your last 4), losing to your Rival Auburn and losing, at home, to Louisiana-Monroe.
Thanks Nick Saban
8. Lose by 3 touchdowns to Tennessee and lose, at home, to a 6-6 South Carolina team
but Mark Richt did
7. Go 5-7 with the south Florida talent pool to choose from and make all your fans, former players and anyone else connected to Miami football long for all those great Orange bowl memories
But Mike Shannon of Miami did
6. Lose to your rival by 33, lose to Clemson for the fourth time in 5 years while having the usual arrests during the year and go a pedestrian 7-5 with 4 and 5 star recruits at every position
But Bobby Bowden did
5. Lose 3 of 4 games in the middle of the season even though you have a Heisman candidate at QB and 4 and 5 star recruits at every position (except RB )
But Urban Meyer did
4. Go 4-4 in conference, 7-5 overall and embarrass your university by having an insider?s newsletter for a fee
But Dennis Franchione did
3. Go 7-5 with the lone signature win against Clemson (sorry Notre Dame doesn?t count) and lose to your Rival for the 6th consecutive year
But Chan Gailey did
2. Your university has a national recruiting presence and you lose 9 of your first ten games (you are making at least 2 million a year). Your 3 wins are against teams that have 6 wins (UCLA), 3 wins (Stanford) and 1 win (Duke).
But Charlie Weis did
1. Lose your last 6 games making Heisman campaigns stronger for everyone you play, especially Tim Tebow at Florida (5 touchdowns) and Darren McFadden at Arkansas (a gazillion yards). Your record against your hated rival Clemson and ?Tammy? now stands at 1-2.
But Steve Spurrier did
We layed an egg against Tech and lost to two 10 win teams--look around a little bit--it isn't always greener on the other side
Posted by JRob on December 4, 2007 at 6:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Spurrier only lost his last 5; try counting again.
Posted by rebel1 on December 4, 2007 at 8 p.m. (Suggest removal)
no need to worry putty kat fans. tammy is not going to a conf where he has to coach to win. he would get smashed in the sec. he will always be in a weak conf where he can play c mich, duke, n carolina, maryland, nc state, furman, do I need to say more, because I can. and btw for all you putty kat fans that are still bragging about beating a team with a losing record with a last second field goal, It just shows that yall play in a weak conf and you will take any win
Posted by youmanyo on December 4, 2007 at 9:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am sorry I put 6 I was thinking that you were going to a bowl .23-21
Posted by theronce on December 5, 2007 at 8:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
rebel1, no need for you to stay with lost causes. The South has risen from the ashes, but your latest cause is still a work in progress, it seems. Have you noticed that spitting out your unsupported statements is like spitting into the wind?
Posted by bigriver1 on December 5, 2007 at 9:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
# 11. Enjoy the holidays sc fans at HOME again! Run recruits run!! sc football = joke. Spurrier has had his record tarnished forever. He now knows he can NEVER win at a school like sc. He has 2 more years then he is gone! RUN recruits RUN!! Get as far away from this loser as possible. Inside sources say he has stated he wished he had never accepted the job at sc. He knows he can not win and will be at the bottom of the sec always. You can see it in his face, hear it in his voice. He knows he made the biggest mistake of his life coming to the laughing stock of college football! Run recruits run before it is to late!
Posted by Rooster07 on December 5, 2007 at 9:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Voices in your head do not count as 'inside sources' bigriver.
Posted by Nonsense on December 5, 2007 at 11:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't understand how Clemson fans can gloat about finally making a field goal with 3 seconds left in the game; would probably be singing a different tune about Bowden had their kicker missed - like he missed the first two; you are bragging about beating the 11th best team in the SEC - get over yourself. The only way you were a winner was by cheating - 3 years probation after national championship.
Posted by theronce on December 5, 2007 at 12:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
1) That was not Clemson's only undefeated season.
2) Shame on us, so unneccessary to cheat.
3) Bragging would be for Clemson to say that we beat a great team. We are only saying that we beat Carolina.
Posted by TTBoy on December 5, 2007 at 2:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
All "nonsense":
11th best? Best at what? losing? usc was only better than Vanderbilt and Mississippi in the SEC.(Vandy 17 - usc 6)
usc has only won in womens track - go figure. If i were a woman going to usc i would learn to run like hell myself!
Posted by tigerfanatl on December 5, 2007 at 3:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
what's all this crap about Clemson bragging about beating an unranked team. The Clemson/South Carolina game has been going on for well over a century...EVERYONE knows the winner gets to brag.