Clawed Down: Clemson, Tommy Bowden "Part Ways"

If the preseason speculation and hype had truly represented the Clemson Tigers, they’d be beyond their sputtering 3-3 record, their miserable offense, and their lackluster defensive play. Maybe then they wouldn’t have had to fire head football coach Tommy Bowden, who was let go by the University earlier today.

Ranked No. 9 to begin this college football season, Bowden’s Clemson Tigers fell to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the opening weekend of play. It wasn’t just a loss at that point—it was utter domination, as the Tigers lost 34-10.

The stat that spoke above all in that meeting was that the duo of James Davis and C.J. Spiller, two Clemson running backs who cracked many people’s preseason Heisman watch list, was only able to gain 20 yards combined against a young Alabama defense.

While Alabama is now second in the nation, compared to 24th during this early meeting, it seems like all the energy, emotion, and depth of this Clemson football team were sucked right out of the entire roster after that defeat.

Sure, they beat the Citadel the following week, North Carolina State after that, and South Carolina State the next week, but really...is that much of a challenge? With a 3-1 record, maybe the Tigers could have put their opening week woes behind them.

Well, not exactly. The following week the Maryland Terrapins, who have played spoiler several times this season for ranked teams, knocked off then 3-1 Clemson 20-17, making the Tigers 3-2.

Suddenly some criticism arose, and many knew that Wake Forest was a must win game for not only the possibility of the conference championship and a prestigious bowl game, but also for Tommy Bowden’s job security.

If you put it that way, that must not have meant much to the Clemson Tigers, as Wake Forest defeated Clemson 12-7, putting the Tigers at 3-3 on the season, which ultimately led to the firing of Tommy Bowden.

With expectations as high as they were, losses to Maryland and Wake Forest were certainly inexplicable and inexcusable, especially with the offensive talent that Clemson has on that team.

How do the numbers stack up? Clemson is 73rd in total yards per game and 56th in total points per game, miserable statistics considering the talent they’ve got in the backfield, with Cullen Harper at quarterback and the ever-so-elusive tandem of Spiller and Davis.

Bowden got the boot from the program because he and the Clemson AD both agreed on one thing: the fact that their goal is almost unreachable. What was their goal? Conference champions.

Speaking of Cullen Harper, the senior quarterback who is probably the on-the-field leader for this Clemson offense, he was a little overjoyed when he heard the news of the Bowden firing, saying he “got what he deserved” in a clear attack on Bowden, who benched Harper late in the 12-7 loss to Wake Forest.

Harper added that interim head coach Dabo Swinney is a “fine man, and will do an excellent job.” The former wide receivers coach for Clemson, Swinney is a great recruiter and could probably get Clemson into a bowl game, possibly winning over the head coach position if he impresses athletic director Terry Phillips.

With a 3-3 record, a bowl game isn’t out of the question. Can new coach Dabo Swinney lead them there? It’s possible, and it will be interesting to see how this team pulls together.