One Wild Ride

CLEMSON — It began to get nasty in the Clemson section before the game was even over.

On the first day of November 2003, the Tigers were absorbing an epic pasting at Wake Forest. Down 7-0 after one quarter ... down 35-0 at halftime ... down 45-0 after three quarters.

Forty-five to nothing.

The final score was 45-17, and many Clemson fans in attendance didn't wait until the end to voice their displeasure and hurl insults at coach Tommy Bowden.

It only got worse when he returned to Clemson and began trying to prepare for a visit from No. 3 Florida State. Fans wanted him gone. Media speculated that he was as good as gone.

That was Bowden's fifth season with the Tigers. And at that moment, it was hard to imagine he'd be around another week — let alone another year.

But here we are, and the 54-year-old coach is preparing for his 10th season at Clemson.

Here's a year-by-year synopsis of his roller-coaster tenure to date — the exhilarating highs, the inexplicable lows and verything in between:

1999

Overall record: 6-6

ACC record: 5-3 (T-2nd)

Bowl appearance: Lost 17-7 to Mississippi State in Peach Bowl

Biggest star: Linebacker Keith Adams ranks first in the NCAA in total tackles (186) and tackles for loss (35) while finishing second in sacks.

High point: Clemson wins 31-21 at South Carolina, sealing the victory on a fourth-down touchdown strike from Woody Dantzler to Rod Gardner. The Tigers take particular pleasure in cementing the Gamecocks' winless season and their 21st straight defeat.

Low point: The bowl loss to Mississippi State denies Bowden a winning season in his first year. The Tigers outgain the Bulldogs 391-265 but commit six turnovers.

Final ranking: None

Bottom line: A successful season in Bowden's first year, particularly given the ugliness of a 3-8 mark the year before under Tommy West. The future looks bright with Rich Rodriguez calling the plays and Dantzler running them.

Coaching turnover: None

Bowden's seat temperature: Ice cold

2000

Overall record: 9-3

ACC record: 6-2 (2nd)

Bowl appearance: Lost 41-20 to Virginia Tech in Gator Bowl

Biggest star: Dantzler totals 1,028 yards rushing and 1,871 passing with a total of 24 touchdowns despite suffering an upper ankle injury in the eighth game against North Carolina.

High point: Without question, beating No. 25 South Carolina on Aaron Hunt's field goal. A kick set up, of course, by Dantzler's desperation heave to Gardner.

Low point: Losing 54-7 at Florida State a year after coming oh, so close in a 17-14 loss to the Seminoles. And also a week after an 8-0 start is ruined with a 31-28 home loss to Georgia Tech.

Final ranking: 16

Bottom line: Not a bad season but not a great one, either. The Tigers were ranked as high as No. 5 but didn't acquit themselves well against Top 10 teams Florida State and Virginia Tech.

Coaching turnover: Bowden suffers a big loss when Rodriguez leaves for West Virginia. Brad Scott is named offensive coordinator, and Mike O'Cain comes aboard as quarterbacks coach.

Bowden's seat temperature: Cool

2001

Overall record: 7-5

ACC record: 4-4 (T-4th)

Bowl appearance: Beat Louisiana Tech 49-24 in Humanitarian Bowl

Biggest star: Dantzler amasses 3,639 yards of total offense and again surpasses 1,000 yards rushing while totaling 31 touchdowns.

High point: Undoubtedly, a 47-44 overtime triumph at Georgia Tech. The most memorable play comes late in regulation, when Dantzler hits J.J. McKelvey for a 63-yard touchdown on fourth-and-13.

Low point: Take your pick. A 26-24 home loss to Virginia? A 38-3 home drubbing against North Carolina? A 20-15 loss at South Carolina? We'll go with the Tar Heels debacle.

Final ranking: None

Bottom line: A difficult season, and one that triggers the first real criticism of Bowden. The Tigers were manhandled in some games, and that doesn't sit well with fans.

Coaching turnover: Defensive coordinator Reggie Herring leaves after his unit allows 395 yards per game, which remains the highest average at Clemson since 1975. He is replaced by John Lovett, who was fired at Auburn after the 2001 season.

Bowden's seat temperature: Lukewarm

2002

Overall record: 7-6

ACC record: 4-4 (T-5th)

Bowl appearance: Lost 55-15 to Texas Tech in Tangerine Bowl.

Biggest star: Defensive back Justin Miller. He makes a huge splash as a freshman, snaring eight interceptions and returning a kickoff for a touchdown.

High point: A 27-20 win over South Carolina at Death Valley. The Tigers show they're more physical than the Gamecocks despite previous assertions to the contrary.

Low point: The bowl debacle ruins the positive vibes generated by the USC win. A 38-6 spanking at home against N.C. State on Thursday night ranks as a close second.

Final ranking: None

Bottom line: The fans head into the offseason grumbling and are wondering about the program's direction under Bowden. They're expecting more in 2003 … a lot more.

Coaching turnover: Defensive ends coach Rodney Allison leaves to become head coach at Tennessee-Chattanooga, and longtime assistant Rick Stockstill departs to take the offensive coordinator position at East Carolina. Allison is replaced by David Blackwell, who comes from Pittsburgh. Stockstill is replaced by Dabo Swinney, who'd been in real-estate after getting out of coaching.

Bowden's seat temperature: Hot

2003

Overall record: 9-4

ACC record: 5-3 (3rd)

Bowl appearance: Beat Tennessee 27-14 in Peach Bowl

Biggest star: Quarterback Charlie Whitehurst passes for 3,561 yards and 21 touchdowns in his sophomore season, completing 52 passes of 20 yards or more.

High point: The bowl victory puts the exclamation point on a four-game stretch in which Clemson won four games by a combined 156-48. Included was a 26-10 win over No. 3 Florida State and the 63-17 destruction of South Carolina in Columbia.

Low point: The Tigers lose 45-17 at Wake Forest, and it isn't even that close. The defeat, which comes a week before the Florida State game, leads many to believe Bowden is gone. One web site even reports that athletic director Terry Don Phillips has asked Bowden to resign.

Final ranking: 22

Bottom line: Bowden gets a fat contract extension after the South Carolina game, assuring he'll be around a while longer. With Whitehurst still around for two more seasons, there's a distinct feeling that this program has finally turned the corner under Bowden.

Coaching turnover: None

Bowden's seat temperature: Ice cold

2004

Overall record: 6-5

ACC record: 4-4 (T-6th)

Bowl appearance: None (Clemson forfeits bowl trip after season-ending brawl with South Carolina)

Biggest star: Senior linebacker Leroy Hill totals 106 tackles, 19 for loss, and eight sacks.

High point: The Tigers stage a dramatic comeback at Miami and beat the No. 11 Hurricanes 24-17 in overtime at the Orange Bowl.

Low point: A mere week later, Clemson goes to Duke and loses 16-13 on a 53-yard field goal by Matt Brooks as time expires.

Final ranking: None

Bottom line: A big step back after the big finish a year earlier. The brawl with USC - and the bowl pullout it precipitates - tarnishes the 29-7 mauling of the Gamecocks. Six wins just aren't acceptable at Clemson, and neither are losses to Duke.

Coaching turnover: Bowden fires O'Cain, Lovett and defensive assistant Thielen Smith in the first major purge of his Clemson tenure. He hires Rob Spence from Toledo to replace O'Cain as offensive coordinator; Vic Koenning comes from Troy to replace Lovett; and Marion Hobby leaves Ole Miss to replace Smith.

Bowden's seat temperature: Lukewarm

2005

Overall record: 8-4

ACC record: 4-4 (3rd in Atlantic)

Bowl appearance: Beat Colorado 19-10 in Champs Sports Bowl.

Biggest star: Freshman tailback James Davis immediately makes it known he's a special talent, breaking a few impressive runs in a season-opening victory over Texas A&M. He finishes with 879 yards rushing, averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and earns ACC rookie-of-the-year honors.

High point: Hard to beat a 13-9 win at South Carolina in Steve Spurrier's first year after the Gamecocks come in on a five-game winning streak. Clemson fans will always remember converting that 1st-and-35 on the game-winning drive.

Low point: A 31-27 loss at Wake Forest is Clemson's third defeat in a row and leaves the Tigers' record at 2-3. A week earlier, they'd suffered a jolting home loss to Boston College in overtime.

Final ranking: 21

Bottom line: The Tigers win six of their last seven games and finish with a successful season. They've got a lot of guys coming back in 2006, and fans are giddy about the possibilities.

Coaching turnover: Tight ends coach Jack Hines steps down, and Hobby leaves for a position with the New Orleans Saints. Billy Napier replaces Hines, and former Gamecock star Chris Rumph leaves Memphis to replace Hobby.

Bowden's seat temperature: Cool

2006

Overall record: 8-5

ACC record: 5-3 (T-2nd in Atlantic)

Bowl appearance: Lost 28-20 to Kentucky in Music City Bowl

Biggest star: Davis rushes for 1,187 yards and 17 touchdowns while averaging 5.8 yards a carry, teaming with freshman C.J. Spiller to form a dynamic backfield tandem.

High point: A 31-7 win over Georgia Tech on national television improves the Tigers' record to 7-1 and leaves pundits convinced they're one of the elite teams in the country - maybe even the best.

Low point: Clemson squanders a two-touchdown lead to the hated Gamecocks and loses 31-28, watching USC players and fans celebrate on its home field. The bowl defeat makes it four losses in five games after the hot start.

Final ranking: None

Bottom line: The Tigers fell on their faces at the end of the season, largely because quarterback Will Proctor couldn't keep defenses from ganging up on Davis and Spiller. A hugely disappointing season - probably the most disappointing of Bowden's tenure, given the expectations.

Coaching turnover: Longtime running backs coach Burton Burns leaves for a huge raise at Alabama. He is replaced by Andre Powell, who was not retained at North Carolina when Butch Davis took over for fired John Bunting.

Bowden's seat temperature: Warm

2007

Overall record: 9-4

ACC record: 5-3 (T-2nd in Atlantic)

Bowl appearance: Lost 23-20 in overtime to Auburn in Chick-fil-A Bowl

Biggest star: Quarterback Cullen Harper makes a major splash after sitting the bench the previous year, setting 22 school records while guiding the Tigers to the third nine-win season of the Bowden era.

High point: The Tigers make a frantic but fruitful last-minute drive at USC and win 23-21 on a last-second field goal by Mark Buchholz. It's Bowden's seventh victory over the Gamecocks in nine tries. But more important, it gives him important leverage in negotiations for a new contract he'll get in December after flirting with Arkansas.

Low point: Back-to-back losses to Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech were difficult, but nothing tops the feeling of squandering a division title against Boston College at home. The Eagles score 17 points in the fourth quarter and win 20-17, assuring Clemson will go yet another year without its first conference title since 1991.

Final ranking: 21

Bottom line: A good season, particularly given the uncertainty that had surrounded the quarterback position. But once again, a major hiccup keeps this team from reaching its ultimate goal.

Coaching turnover: None

Bowden's seat temperature: Lukewarm

Reach Larry Williams at lwilliams@postandcourier.com and check out the new Clemson blog at www.charleston.net/blogs/tiger_tracks/