Oct 13, 2008 - 6:38 PM
0 shoutsCLEMSON, South Carolina (Ticker) -- Tommy Bowden did not survive another disappointing season at Clemson.
Bowden stepped down as the Tigers' football coach Monday morning, ending his up-and-down 10-year stint at Clemson.
The move was made just four days after Clemson lost to Atlantic Coast Conference rival Wake Forest, the Tigers' second consecutive conference defeat.
It was just the latest poor performance in what has been an inconsistent season for Clemson (3-3), tabbed as the preseason favorite in the ACC for the first time since 1991.
Bowden, 54, informed his assistant coaches of the school's decision Monday morning after meeting with athletic director Terry Don Phillips. Assistant Dabo Swinney will replace Bowden on an interim basis.
"Terry Don Phillips approached me this morning, and we agreed that this is the best solution for the direction of the program," Bowden said in a statement. "Clemson has been very good to me and my family."
Although Bowden offered kind words toward the school, at least one of his former players evidently was pleased with the move.
Quarterback Cullen Harper, who was benched in favor of Willy Korn after the loss to Wake Forest, told ESPN.com that he though Bowden "deserved" to be fired.
"They just told us. It's what he deserved," the bitter Harper told the web site. "Dabo Swinney is a fine man and will do an excellent job."
A two-time ACC Coach of the Year, Bowden agreed to a seven-year contract extension to stay at Clemson this past December.
The school did not reveal if it bought out the contract, which stipulated that Bowden be paid $4 million if he was fired prior to December 1, 2008.
Bowden posted a 72-45 record at Clemson, including a 43-32 mark in ACC play. The son of longtime Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, he guided the Tigers to bowl appearances in eight of his nine seasons.
"I appreciate the opportunity Clemson University gave me and the support of the administration while I was here," he said. "I also want to thank all the players and coaches who worked so hard for this program the last 10 years. I wish Clemson University nothing but the best in the future."
Clemson's future appeared bright heading into this season, as the Tigers returned 17 starters from a squad that finished 9-4 last season after losing to Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
But despite being ranked ninth overall in the preseason, Clemson opened the campaign with a resounding dud in a 34-10 loss to Alabama at the Georgia Dome. The Tigers also suffered a 20-17 loss at home to unranked Maryland on September 27.
But the final straw likely was last Thursday's 12-7 loss to Wake Forest, a game in which the Tigers managed just 198 yards of scrimmage.
The underachieving Harper completed 15-of-35 passes in the contest while the vaunted backfield duo of James Davis and C.J. Spiller combined for just 35 rushing yards.
Spiller, who has been nursing a foot injury, admitted that Monday's decision was for the best - both for the Tigers and Bowden.
"I'm shocked by our record and now I'm shocked that our coach is gone," Spiller told ESPN.com. "I enjoyed playing for coach Bowden and I liked him, but in the end he was yelling at us to be leaders and it wasn't working.
"He did all he could to motivate us, but guys weren't buying into what he was saying. And he said a lot of the same things over and over again."
