Clemson's Bowden deals with ``hot seat'' talk

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) Almost from the time Tommy Bowden stepped on campus in December 1998, some Clemson supporters have wondered if this was truly the coach to return the Tigers to the top of the Atlantic Coast Conference.<br> <br> Except for a couple of notable periods of success Clemson&#39;s 8-0 start in 2000 and a four-game streak to end 2003 that included wins over Florida State, South Carolina by that 63-17 score and Tennessee in the Peach Bowl things haven&#39;t let up much as Bowden begins his seventh season.<br> <br> And that&#39;s a problem, says the school&#39;s athletic director Terry Don Phillips. Clemson&#39;s AD has come out strongly this offseason in support of his football coach to try to stop the outside gabbers and Internet jocks who whisper about Bowden&#39;s future.<br> <br> ``We intend to be stable with this person,&#39;&#39; Phillips said earlier this month. ``Tommy&#39;s not on the hot seat. I think that sends a very strong message.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Phillips said as much in an online essay supporting Bowden published last month. He hopes that got the point across. It sure did with Bowden.<br> <br> Job status has ``never been a really major issue with me,&#39;&#39; Bowden said. But ``it seems like with the commitment the administration made publicly, it&#39;s the strongest it has ever been since I&#39;ve been here.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Both Bowden and Phillips remember all too well the saga from two years ago when the coach&#39;s tenure was debated on a game-to-game, sometimes quarter-to-quarter basis. Bowden&#39;s fate seemed sealed after a loss at Wake Forest left them 5-4 and staring at powerful Florida State.<br> <br> However, things clicked the rest of the way. Bowden got his first win over his father, Bobby, the following Saturday, drubbed Duke and scored the most points ever against the in-state rival. The capper was an impressive 27-14 win against No. 6 Tennessee in the bowl.<br> <br> Bowden was rewarded with a new contract that included substantial buyouts of $4 million in its earliest years.<br> <br> Security and support, though, are fleeting things among college football fans.<br> <br> When Clemson started last season 1-4, some Tiger fans were again riled and ready for change. Even a 5-1 finish that included wins over Miami and South Carolina wasn&#39;t enough to stop the grumbling.<br> <br> Phillips says he couldn&#39;t believe the hot-seat speculation when he first heard it sometime this winter. When it came up again, Phillips thought, ``Enough is enough&#39;&#39; and issued his opinion.<br> <br> ``With all the things he has done in his career, the facts speak for themselves,&#39;&#39; Phillips said. ``Tommy is a good football coach.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> And, according to his athletic director, one who&#39;ll be at Clemson for some time.<br> <br> ``That&#39;s a pretty good indication of the stability here,&#39;&#39; Bowden said.<br> <br> But don&#39;t get him wrong, Bowden is far from content with the results of last season and what the program has failed to accomplish so far a 10-victory season or an ACC title.<br> <br> ``Am I satisfied with myself internally? No, because of wanting to win 10 games, wanting to win a conference championship,&#39;&#39; Bowden said. ``I would hope the majority of our fans wouldn&#39;t be satisfied either because they want the same things I want.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> To that end, Bowden revamped his coaching staff. He brought in Rob Spence of Toledo to coordinate the offense and replace Mike O&#39;Cain. Vic Koenning was hired from Troy to lead the defense and replace coordinator John Lovett. Longtime Bowden assistant Theilen Smith also was let go after the season.<br> <br> Spence&#39;s attack averaged more than 474 yards and 35 points a game last season, well ahead of the Tigers&#39; average. It&#39;s also expected that Spence will smooth out whatever kept quarterback Charlie Whitehurst last year from matching his stellar sophomore season of 2003.<br> <br> Bowden has taken the blame for Whitehurst&#39;s slip the quarterback threw seven touchdowns and 17 interceptions last fall after 21 TDs and 13 interceptions his sophomore year. Whitehurst says part of that blame falls on him and everyone on offense. ``We need to store it in the back of our brain so it doesn&#39;t happen again,&#39;&#39; he said.<br> <br> With the early and strong support, it may not.<br> <br> Defensive end Gaines Adams, a junior said he and his teammates didn&#39;t pay much attention to negative talk of their coach&#39;s future. Still, it&#39;s good to know Bowden ``will be around with us.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)