The Next Step
By: Roy Philpott
Who's on it? Who's off it? You've likely had the discussion around the water cooler yourself. We've had in on our message boards here at CUTigers.com and also on our morning show on 104.9 FM The Drive.
Many national publications have chosen to list Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden on the hot seat, claiming he's done less with more talent than any coach this side of the Mississippi.
And while it's easy to jump on that bandwagon, I think it is important to point out Bowden has maintained a very specific level of above average performance on the football entering his ninth seasons.
Note I said, "above average."
He's led the Tigers to bowl eligibility in each of his eight seasons as head coach. No other Clemson coach has ever done that. He's beaten nationally ranked powers Florida State (three of the last four years), Texas A&M, Miami, Tennessee and Colorado.
He's also had strange losses to Wake Forest and Duke and narrowly missed playing in the ACC Championship game in both 2005 and '06.
Strictly talking about on-the-field results- it hasn't been great, but it hasn't been bad either.
Off the field, Bowden has helped lead the program back to respectability from a facilities standpoint while also greatly improving its recruiting efforts, especially the last three years.
In summary, one could argue Bowden has actually brought the program back to where it hasn't been in nearly 15 years.
That’s right.
The talent on this team is as great as it's been since the early days of ~gasp~ Ken Hatfield (with Danny Ford’s recruits mind you). The speed on this team is reminiscent of the late 1980’s. The facilities are once again moving towards the top of the conference.
Maybe many of the fans reading this blog don't remember, but it's been a while since the Tigers have been in the position they are in right now- having the combination of talent, facilities and coaching all in place at the same time. Even the schedule sets up nicely- with the four toughest games (FSU, Virginia Tech, Boston College and Wake Forest) all at home.
And with the talent returning this year, even with concerns at quarterback and possibly the offensive line, this team has the capability to at least get to the ACC championship game.
And to me, that is the next step for this football program: getting to Jacksonville.
Playing in the ACC Championship game.
Competing for a BCS bid.
Notice I didn't even say, "win the ACC." I'm talking about just getting there.
Think about it like this: since Dec. 1998, the first month Tommy Bowden was the coach at Clemson, he has improved recruiting. He has helped improve facilities. He has owned his arch-rival (winning six out of eight games). He has also stockpiled talent and put together a coaching staff that is more than capable of leading this program back to the top of the conference, if not higher.
If you are looking for the very next step this program has to take to show improvement- that is it. Get to the championship game. Compete for the opportunity to play in the BCS.
Sure, I'll be the first to admit Jacksonville in December doesn't get me all that excited. But Jacksonville in December getting ready to cover the ACC Championship game against Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech or Miami has some juice behind it, especially when you consider Clemson hasn’t won an ACC Championship since 1991. That’s right – 16 years.
Just get there.
Only a handful of points have separated Clemson from this "next step" the last two seasons. Now is the time to get there. Now is the time to take the next step.
One of the popular topics of discussion this time of year has to do with the proverbial hot seat.
Who's on it? Who's off it? You've likely had the discussion around the water cooler yourself. We've had in on our message boards here at CUTigers.com and also on our morning show on 104.9 FM The Drive.
Many national publications have chosen to list Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden on the hot seat, claiming he's done less with more talent than any coach this side of the Mississippi.
And while it's easy to jump on that bandwagon, I think it is important to point out Bowden has maintained a very specific level of above average performance on the football entering his ninth seasons.
Note I said, "above average."
He's led the Tigers to bowl eligibility in each of his eight seasons as head coach. No other Clemson coach has ever done that. He's beaten nationally ranked powers Florida State (three of the last four years), Texas A&M, Miami, Tennessee and Colorado.
He's also had strange losses to Wake Forest and Duke and narrowly missed playing in the ACC Championship game in both 2005 and '06.
Strictly talking about on-the-field results- it hasn't been great, but it hasn't been bad either.
Off the field, Bowden has helped lead the program back to respectability from a facilities standpoint while also greatly improving its recruiting efforts, especially the last three years.
In summary, one could argue Bowden has actually brought the program back to where it hasn't been in nearly 15 years.
That’s right.
The talent on this team is as great as it's been since the early days of ~gasp~ Ken Hatfield (with Danny Ford’s recruits mind you). The speed on this team is reminiscent of the late 1980’s. The facilities are once again moving towards the top of the conference.
Maybe many of the fans reading this blog don't remember, but it's been a while since the Tigers have been in the position they are in right now- having the combination of talent, facilities and coaching all in place at the same time. Even the schedule sets up nicely- with the four toughest games (FSU, Virginia Tech, Boston College and Wake Forest) all at home.
And with the talent returning this year, even with concerns at quarterback and possibly the offensive line, this team has the capability to at least get to the ACC championship game.
And to me, that is the next step for this football program: getting to Jacksonville.
Playing in the ACC Championship game.
Competing for a BCS bid.
Notice I didn't even say, "win the ACC." I'm talking about just getting there.
Think about it like this: since Dec. 1998, the first month Tommy Bowden was the coach at Clemson, he has improved recruiting. He has helped improve facilities. He has owned his arch-rival (winning six out of eight games). He has also stockpiled talent and put together a coaching staff that is more than capable of leading this program back to the top of the conference, if not higher.
If you are looking for the very next step this program has to take to show improvement- that is it. Get to the championship game. Compete for the opportunity to play in the BCS.
Sure, I'll be the first to admit Jacksonville in December doesn't get me all that excited. But Jacksonville in December getting ready to cover the ACC Championship game against Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech or Miami has some juice behind it, especially when you consider Clemson hasn’t won an ACC Championship since 1991. That’s right – 16 years.
Just get there.
Only a handful of points have separated Clemson from this "next step" the last two seasons. Now is the time to get there. Now is the time to take the next step.
posted by Roy Philpott @ 1:14 PM
16 Comments
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16 Comments:
For Tommy I think it's either take the next step up or the next step will be out.
I think I just sharted.
Why does every Bowden supporter bring up "He's led the Tigers to bowl eligibility in each of his eight seasons as head coach". Would 6 wins get Danny Ford a bowl birth? Would it have gotten Frank Howard a bowl birth? The "bowl" argument is null in this day and age. Bowden is just lucky enough to be coaching in an era where 6 wins will get you a bowl game. And why give him credit for the West Zone project? Terry Don Phillips and the members of IPTAY got the WEZ done, not Bowden. Though Bowden did however use it as an excuse on occasion. Maybe being average and sometimes above average is ok for some people. I could see how it could be for schools like UNC, Wake, and Duke b/c they are basketball schools. But when a football school is satisfied with 7 or 8 wins a year then we are not a football school. It would be different if this was Bowden's 4th or even 5th year. But this is his 9th year! his 9th! On the other hand though Bowden has done some good for the program. When Bowden first arrived here Clemson football was a joke. He took the program from a joke to respectable. Everytime we play someone, no matter who it is, I feel we have a chance of winning that game. And that is a big difference from when we would play FSU in the 90s with West as coach. But you must ask yourself, can Bowden get it done? And when I say "done" I mean a national title. Now what is wrong with wanting to win a national title? Is that not why we hired him in the first place? Is that not the MAIN goal of this program? I'm not saying I want one this year or even next year. But will he EVER win one here? Did he and Bobby Robinson not have an agreement that he WOULD compete for one within a 10 year span? My answer is no, he can't win one. I think Bowden has taken us as far as he is going to take us. I thank him for getting us to where we are now. Again when he came to Clemson we were a laughing stock. We are now a respected team and you BETTER be prepared to play us. But people you have to make a choice, are you satisfied with being a 7 or 8 win type of team or do you believe Clemson can do better? I believe Clemson can do better but with another coach.
Look at the lack of respect Ga Tech and Wake Forest are getting nationally this preseason. Getting to the ACC Championship Game isn't big-time. In year 9, national media confidence in Tommy Bowden is quickly becoming non-existent.
Why is there an option for the blind to hear the letters in the word verification box, but not an option to hear the rest of the page? In other words, they can respond to the blog, but they can't read it. Why are you so insensitive to Tommy Bowden and the blind? They both deserve better than that.
What a bunch of i-net armchair dummies! I remember sitting in the stands at Virginia watching the Tigers beat them in the mid '90's. I couldn't believe I heard the Cav crowd calling for their coach's (Welsh) head. All game it went on. Finally I turned to the nearest "fan" and asked him what was wrong with the coach they had. His response was ironically "he can't take us to the next level". My response to him was to remind him of the Virginia football team of the 60's through the '80's - teams that could barely beat William & Mary and rarely if ever won three games a year. On the other hand Welsh had led them to eight consecutive 7 wins (at least) seasons and as many bowl games. They had even been ranked #1 for awhile in '91 I believe. And therein was the rub - the "fans" had gotten a taste of the top of the hill and either wanted it again or wanted the head of the head coach - "fans" being all reasonable and all. If anyone thinks Bowden should be on the hot seat they should have their heads examined. Look at Alabama - when was their last SEC championship? What have they gotten trying to find the next Bear Bryant for the last 30 years - little more than a parade of coaches who followed 10 win seasons with 6 win seasons and then got shown the door. They end up starting over every four years - and half the time on probation because the previous coach got too nervous about his job (imagine that). Look at recruiting too - now the best recruits in Alabama go to Auburn - every year. Do you think Crimson Tide fans poor-mouthin' their coach ever made a recruit want to play in Tuscaloosa? The problem is the so-called "fans". Their expectations aren't cognizant of the competitiveness of Div 1 football these days - note Wake Forest (of all teams) winning the ACC last year. No one - emphasis on "no" - rolls over any more. Heck even Boise State "wants" to become a football school. And please do us all a favor - please ask Danny Ford where Boise State was when he coached. For that matter they probably weren't even in Boise. And if you need one more example then look at UNC. Mack Brown led them to back-to-back 10 win seasons but the "faithful" cried and bemoaned his inability to beat Florida State and win the "big one" (the ACC). Funny thing - he got tired of it - took a better job in Texas - and beat Southern Cal for the whole she'bang. Now I would hate to compare the pride of Clemson fans to the arrogance of UNC fans - but if you keep writing such idiocy then there's little place else to go. If you want 10 win seasons every year then go pull for Southern Cal - I'm sure your arrogance will fit in well with the whole LA 'scene'. If you want a new coach every year then pull for the Gamecocks - once Spurrier is gone then they'll be right back to their four years and out pattern they've had since the early 1970's. Look how many bowl victories that got them. But if you want to have pride in a coach doing it the right way and building every year with good kids then show up at Death Valley on Saturday - you could do a lot worse. Then if you still have a problem with losing as few - well then get off your keyboard and Xbox - go back to school to learn to be a coach - and then get yourself a high school job. You'll learn two things pretty quick - you don't know as much as you'd like the rest of us to think - and there are worse things than losing 2-4 games most years. Go Tigers!
"you could do a lot worse" that's the mentality of the fan base now. and it's sad. we will NEVER win another national title with that attitude.
I agree with the last 'anonymous' post. "We could do a lot worse" is in the same category as "we can't get a better coach than Bowden" and "remember the 3-8 season" -- it's the mentality of a total loser. One who accepts mediocrity and underachievement, and they love it. Fans like this enable Clemson's failures because not only do they not hold the coach and AD responsible, THEY PAT THEM ON THE BACK!! Winners and competitive people do not say things like that, period. You people are a big reason for Clemson's failures - not the ones like me who's calling for Bowden's head. All fans want change, but the Bowden supporters are the delusional ones who think he's still the guy for the job.
Overall I think Roy's article is okay. Bowden is barely above average, I agree. But that's Bowden. He simply can't get it done. He's proven that over and over and over and yet some fans think he's the guy. Only thing I disagree with in Roy's article is the statement 'The talent on this team is as great as it's been since the early days of ~gasp~ Ken Hatfield (with Danny Ford’s recruits mind you).' -- Sorry, we had that kind of talent LAST YEAR, but again failed to reach goals.
The only expectations Bowden can reach are low ones. Give him a higher bar to hurdle and he'll fail every time. So yeah, Bowden succeeds. But what's your definition of 'success'. Graduation rates? New facilities? Recruiting? Those are peripheral victories that haven't manifested into titles, which is the goal. And that's why Bowden is a failure.
Wanna know the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Same thing here -- Having the same coach who hasn't won an ACC title for almost a decade and yet expect him in every preseason to win one that year.
If the Bowden-supporting bunch comprises the majority of fans, then Clemson fans have become soft, weak and easily pleased over time. They're like a bunch of Bowden rubes. If this bunch of fans existed back in the early 90s, we'd still have Ken Hatfield. Pathetic.
Well now that you've got your overworked ego out of joint why don't you take a minute to listen to facts. The reality of last year is that Clemson - and Tommy Bowden - was 5 (count them if you can) points away from 10-1 - and oh by the way he did that with a first-year starting QB and a good many key injuries. If you want to know how much a good QB can do for you then go ask Chuck Amato and the NC State crowd what Philip Rivers did for Amato - assuming you can find him since he's not at State anymore. And if you're still bent out of shape about the USC game maybe you'd rather talk to Spurrier about how well he coached his kicker into missing - not just one but - three kicks that cost them the Florida game. Let's see that means Clemson was so pathetic as to be 1 point away from the ACC championship game and Florida was 1 point away from the Outback Bowl. 5 points = 10 wins. Reality not ego. That is hardly - nay it isn't anywhere close - to being as you say PATHETIC. The only thing pathetic around here is that you put so much of your self worth into something you have nothing to do with - which is to say the performance of kids out on the athletic field. Believe me - no one out here thinks you're a big person because you can put on an orange shirt drink a beer and yell at games like you're calling pigs in the next county. Reality dude (again) - you have no stake in what the football team does or doesn't do. And as for a LOSER's attitude for me I doubt my graduate degree plus two professional certifications in finance plus my status as the number 2 officer (i.e. CFO) in my company for 15 years really qualifies as a LOSER. No in fact I got there by having just what you saw in the other email - great analytical ability tinged with enough humility to accept that no one wins all the time - ever - and it's not even close. Even the Dolphins have to admit they only had one undefeated season. Face it "hml" you and the so-called "fans" like you are the reason college sports and the money associated with it are so out of hand. Gone are the days of Grantland Rice when "how you played the game" mattered. Do us all a favor - take your ego where it needs to be and go pull for the Tar Heels or the Sooners or the Trojans - or better yet the NFL Patriots. Anyone who says Tommy Bowden deserves to be fired because he hasn't done a good job has lost perspective and frankly needs professional help. Additionally dude we'd all prefer you didn't drive with such road rage - it's just not healthy.
Oh yeah - one final thing - about "coming through" and "meeting low expectations". Again a fact - not your ego - Bowden did go 11-0 at Tulane. So I guess between you-me-him the he is the only one who has ever gone undefeated. Truth hurts doesn't it.
"So I guess between you-me-him the he is the only one who has ever gone undefeated. Truth hurts doesn't it." Well I can play that game too. I guess between you-me-him I am the only person to ever serve on a submarine. And it was Tulane!! Yes it was a great accomplishment. That's hard to do anywhere. But it's not like he did it in the SEC or at ND. IT was Tulane. Bowden is a mediocre coach. Now if you are happy with winning 7 and 8 games a year, hearing all the excuses in the book, then keep him. But I want more for Clemson then Nashville Bowl almost every year.
Jeez folks. Some of you seem to put way *way* too much importance on some fictional non-existent impact of the fans attitudes and wants on the teams performance.
The fans make noise at the games and infuse cash into the program.
It doesn't matter if we think Bowden is good, bad, or whatever.
Whether 1, 10, 10000, or 100000 of us think Bowden is great/terible, it does not affect the likelihood of the team winning any particular game, season, or championship. That depends on the performance of the team itself and its coaching staff.
For the haters- if Bowden goes, who comes in?
"Hatfield must Go!" We got West. "West must Go!" We got Bowden. Now it's "Bowden must go!"
It's not enough to get rid of someone, you have to replace them as well. The pool of people suitable to be DivI head coaches is small.
Thanks to the previous anonymous who seems to want to add some "balance" to this discussion and put the football team in a meaningful context. Having said that though I would differ on one very important point - which is why I started responding here in the first place. Anon stated "Whether 1, 10, 10000, or 100000 of us think Bowden is great/terrible, it does not affect the likelihood of the team winning any particular game, season, or championship." I disagree. One point the Bowden haters seem to discount totally is their entirely negative effect on the program. More simply put - what recruit wants to go to a school where the "fans" are always bad-mouthing the coach? Does their bad-mouthing make the recruit have faith in the coach's ability to win games? Does their tirade make the recruit feel more comfortable that the coach will even be around for four more years? Does their continual back-biting somehow increase the players' faith in the play-calling or for that matter increase their faith and contentment in who gets selected to play? The sad answer is "no". The sad answer is that no player or recruit wants to be at a school were there is a coaching controversy. Just look down the road to Columbia - why do you think the Gamecocks have always had such a difficult time recruiting top talent? Every four years they've gotten a new coach who then had to establish his "own" players. Then "poof" four years later he is gone and here comes another coach to restart the process. The sad but true answer is that these so-called "fans" would rather tear down Clemson - its coaches and administration - thereby significantly lessening the possibility of future good seasons - just so they can have their own opinion matter. I thought being in a submarine would at least teach someone to be part of a team and follow the leadership of those that quite frankly know better. Suggestion: You want to express disappointment in the Tigers coach don't do it in a blog - do so in a private letter to the AD. And then show some courtesy to the coach and his family - copy him on the letter. At least he then gets the chance to respond to someone face-to-face if he'd like. That's kind of hard to do when you've got so little honor as to blog as an "Anonymous".
rfandy, so because you're a CFO that makes you a winner? That somehow makes you smart? You really are an arrogant one, aren't you? After all, you had to resort to that level because your arguments are weak and...pathetic. Pfffft. And I wasn't even replying to you on top of that. People get exec positions all the time due to their mommies and daddies handing them their positions, so you being a CFO doesn't mean squat to me.
Fans like you always use the horrid 90s as an excuse to keep an underachieving coach. Do you run your company the same, limp-wristed, excuse-filled way? Face it, CFO, CEO, Jesus, whatever you want to brag about yourself you're still a loser not because of what position you have but because of the lack of competitive spirit you have.
My ego out of check? Who's the one that was so pi$$ed off that they had to reply not once but TWICE to my post. That's right -- you. Because I struck a nerve with you, and I used the cold hard truth to do it.
With fans like you that support such chronic underachievement Clemson has no chance whatsoever to truly compete for the ACC, because you're easily satisfied with your 8-win seasons and mediocre bowls. And fans do matter, otherwise Hatfield would've never been fired.
I'm not part of the problem moron -- unlike you I demand more. With the huge amounts of money at Clemson there's no excuse not to have a top coach. You on the other hand reinforce the same old failing ways out of Clemson with your patting their heads every time they blow it.
Alright, I'll play.....
Talk about 5 points away all you want, Bowden hasn't finished better than 3rd overall in the ACC since 03. Since then, the highest he's ended up is 6th. I.E., no progress, unless you resort to obscure stats like you just did. Secondly, for every 'thing' Bowden was close to in winning the Atlantic, he was that many from a disastrous season (one blocked FG away from losing to Wake, one quick-snap away from playing FSU in OT where Clemson has lost the past couple times, one decent head coach from losing to a weak NC State...see, I can play that game too). So carry on with your lame excuses. People with brains aren't going to buy it.
As far as only criticizing the coach in a private letter, that's just dumb. He's getting paid well over a million and is a public figure, it goes with the territory idiot. Last I checked, everyone has the right to an opinion, but you prefer that the voices of naysayers are silenced. Again, typical level of arrogance I'd expect out of someone like you. Loser.
Dear Anon - No it wasn't just you that has struck o' chord with me and that is why I continue to reply to your ranting. I am quite frankly tired of every so-called sports "fan" or media-type who projects their own desires and inadequacies onto a group of 20-year-old athletes. Worse - you and they project your faulty measuring stick of egotism on coaches (and their families) as if you have any conception of what these coaches know about their sport or could in any way come close to doing as well they are doing. Face it - you're no football coach. The thing that bothers me most though is not that you have such warped views of college athletics and society but rather it is because so-called "fans" like you encourage other so-called "fans" to do things that simply are not right. (Your) Friends really shouldn't let friends write drunk - or stupid. Surely you have the right to your opinion it's just that you haven't the moral aptitude to show good judgment on where or how to use your opinion. If you want Bowden fired then fine - go analyze a bunch of tapes of games - break them down into plays that evidence poor coaching - then send all of them to the Athletic Director. Further please call and ask him for a personal interview - I'm sure he'd love to hire the man who can guarantee nothing but BCS bowl bids from here on out. But no - instead you choose to poor-mouth people on the i-net as if you think just because you can then it must be right. As far as I am concerned - a Clemson grad and paying seat holder - you CAN go pull for the Tar Heels and I wish you would. You're like the little mealy-mouth kid in every grade school class that spends his time talking bad about others just so he can feel good about himself. Everyone knows you - and no one likes you. Worse - you're no help in any group situation. The community of Clemson does not need "fans" such as you who think their measuring stick for winning is the only one that matters. Clemson does not need "fans" like you who talk bad about the program in a forum that can only hurt the program. And in the big-time world of college football where stability means as much as facility(ies) Clemson does not need "fans" like you who have the patience and mentality of a 2 year old. (I've got four kids under seven - I would recognize the pitiful and self-centered whining anywhere.) Again - I will go back to my original comment which you have not and can not repudiate - please look at how much damage has been done to the football programs at UNC and Alabama and Nebraska and South Carolina and NC State et al just because they followed the impatient arrogance of "Fans" such as you. Neither NC State nor UNC nor Duke nor Miami has won an ACC Championship since Clemson last won one (1991). Virgina and Ga Tech both got to share in on 1 - they have no titles for themselves. Only Maryland and Va Tech and Wake have won a championship outright other than Fla State - and oh yeah - they've got 1 measly championship apiece. That's 3 outright titles in 15 years other than Fla State. What then is the ACC to do - disband all the other football programs because they haven't routinely given their "fans" holiday trips to Bowl games named after Mexican snacks? And then just for fun - and to satisfy your blood-lust - just look at how many coaches each one of those schools have all run through the grinder. Your measuring stick and logic are faulty. Mostly - your ego is out of control. Finally - as far as what "my Daddy" did or did not give me - while he never gave me any preferential help with my professional career at least he did teach me not to act the social idiot like you.
If Coach Bowden gets dismissed because he "doesn't take the next step" Clemson will be set back to square one.
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