Uncertain Future

CLEMSON — Billy Napier's frustration was growing at about the same rate as his mounting stack of rejection letters.

It was the summer of 2003, and Napier was trying to break into coaching after graduating from Furman. He was surprised when he got a call from Clemson's Tommy Bowden, who was trying to fill a vacant graduate-assistant position.

"He's the one guy that called me," Napier recalled. "He said, 'Hey, come over here and sit down and let me meet you and see what you're about.' "

This week, Napier is trying to forge on knowing the man who took a chance on him will be watching Saturday's game against Georgia Tech on television from the beach. Napier and the rest of Clemson's coaches have found it hard to get past the fact that Bowden's corner office at the McFadden Building now sits dark and empty.

"There's not a better man," defensive coordinator Vic Koenning said of Bowden. "I don't think that he could be a classier guy. I don't think he could have worked harder or done more for this school, for these kids."

The 29-year-old Napier, who moved from coaching tight ends to quarterbacks after Bowden's forced resignation Monday, said he's proceeding as Bowden told him to: do the best he can under the tumultuous circumstances.

The Tigers (3-3, 1-2) are trying to turn around their season under interim coach Dabo Swinney. Bowden served as Clemson's coach for 9 1/2 seasons.

"I'm going to do my best to do the job he did and go out there and compete," Napier said.

Napier spent the 2004 season at Clemson and then left to serve as quarterbacks coach at South Carolina State. After one season, he got another call from Bowden. This time, the coach was offering the 26-year-old a job coaching Clemson's tight ends.

After the 2006 season, Bowden made Napier the Tigers' recruiting coordinator. Napier has made his old boss look smart by beefing up Clemson's recruiting presence in North Carolina.

"He gave me a shot," Napier said. "And not only that, but he brought me back and gave me my first full-time job. ... I'm extremely indebted to him, not only for the opportunity but the things he taught me about: how to be a class act and go about things the right way and represent you and your family and your team the right way. He's a special person to me."

Koenning, whom Bowden hired away from Troy in 2005, knows what his former boss is going through. He was fired as the head coach at Wyoming in 2002 after three years.

"The last few weeks when I was a head coach, I broke down every couple of days," Koenning said. "Not everybody knew about it. He's going to have his days."

Swinney is taking extensive efforts to build unity and enthusiasm for the season's final six regular season games, but Koenning admitted that the transition has been — and will be — difficult.

"It'll take a while to build up a rapport and a loyalty to him that we had with Tommy," he said. "That's no different than any relationship."

Swinney and his staff aren't guaranteed anything beyond this season, and Koenning said it's a challenge for him and the rest of the staff to keep from worrying about the future.

"You've got to start thinking about yourself a little bit too when you're 48 years old and you've got a family and houses," he said. "There's a lot of anxiety, but that's where your faith has got to step in and help you."

Outside linebackers coach Ron West is the only remaining coach on the staff Bowden brought from Tulane in December of 1998.

"I was with coach Bowden for 12 years, and I think the world of him," West said. "He did a good job for Clemson, and he got a lot done for Clemson. When you look at where Clemson was in 1999 when we came in and where we are today, it's a better job than it was when we took it. ... We just didn't get done what we needed to get done, and I think coach is happy now. He's moving on. And we've just got to move on now and get all-in with Dabo.

"I know (Bowden) wanted to get this done, and I know he's pulling for us to get this thing done. I know that he's one of our biggest fans."

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