Gallery: Tommy Bowden moments at Clemson
Tommy Bowden, 44, speaks at a press conference on Dec. 3, 1998, after being introduced as the new Clemson football coach.
Erik Campos/ecampos@thestate.com
Tommy Bowden, 44, speaks at a press conference Dec. 3, 1999, after being officially introduced as the new Clemson football coach.
Erik Campos/ecampos@thestate.com
Tommy Bowden, 44, tries on an orange blazer at a press conference on Dec. 3, 1998, after being officially introduced as the new Clemson football coach. On the left is his wife, Linda, and on the right is Clemson athletic director Bobby Robinson. Bowden was hired after coaching the undefeated and ninth-ranked Green Wave at Tulane. He started at Clemson with a five-year contract worth $750,000 per season, including a base salary of $350,000. Clemson had just completed a 3-8 season, its worst since 1975.
Erik Campos/ecampos@thestate.com
Tommy Bowden and Brad Scott, right, are all smiles during the announcement of Scott as Clemson's newest assistant football during a news conference Dec. 4, 1998, in Clemson. Scott was formally head football coach at USC, and has known Bowden for 20 years.
MARY ANN CHASTAIN/AP
Newly hired Clemson head football coach Tommy Bowden told those gathered at the Carolina Coliseum for Northside Baptist Church's Easter Celebration Service on April 4, 1999, that the Bible "is God's playbook for us; it tells us how to live."
Renee Ittner-McManus/The State
South Carolina's Lou Holtz and Clemson's Tommy Bowden chat before the start of their game Nov. 20, 1999.
Jason Clark/The State
Clemson coach Tommy Bowden fires up his Tigers before taking the field against USC on Nov. 20, 1999.
Erik Campos/ecampos@thestate.com
Clemson head football coach Tommy Bowden spoke at Brandon Rouse's funeral service in May 2000, one of many people to pay their last respects with words in Darlington High School's gymnasium.
RICH GLICKSTEIN/rglickstein@thestate.com
Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden reviews his notes during the game in Charlottesville, Va., on Sept. 23, 2000.
Rich Glickstein/rglickstein@thestate.com
Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden interrogates receiver Rod Gardner (23) after he was intercepted in the end zone by Virginia Tech cornerback Ronyell Whitaker on Jan. 1, 2001.
Rich Glickstein/rglickstein@thestate.com
Clemson's head coach Tommy Bowden talks to his father, Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden, before the start of their game Nov. 3, 2001, at Memorial Stadium.
Mary Ann Chastain/AP
Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden walks off the field as his Tigers fall 20-15 to USC's Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium on Nov. 17, 2001.
Erik Campos/ecampos@thestate.com
Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden praises defensive tackle Donnell Washington (96) during the closing minutes of the game as Clemson dismantled North Carolina 42-12 at Keenan Stadium in Chapel Hill on Nov. 9, 2002. Washington recorded a sack during the third quarter for a 12-yard loss.
Rich Glickstein/rglickstein@thestate.com
Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden yells onto the field during the second quarter as Clemson trails Texas Tech 34-2 at the half of the Tangerine Bowl at Florida Citrus Stadium in Orlando on Dec. 23, 2002.
Rich Glickstein/rglickstein@thestate.com
Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden talks with backup quarterback Chansi Stuckey (2) during the fourth quarter as the Wake Forest Demon Deacons defeated the Clemson Tigers 45-17 at Groves Stadium in Winston-Salem on Nov. 1, 2003.
Rich Glickstein/rglickstein@thestate.com
Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden is doused with Gatorade as the Tigers' defeat Tennessee 27-14 in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 2, 2004, in Atlanta's Georgia Dome.
Erik Campos/ecampos@thestate.com
Tommy Bowden watches his team from the sidelines during the fourth quarter of Clemson's 13-16 loss to Duke on Nov. 13, 2004.
Todd Bennett/The State
THE STATE
Tommy Bowden and Charlie Whitehurst (6) talk on the sideline just before calling a timeout during the fourth quarter as the Tigers defeated the Gamecocks 29-7 at Memorial Stadium on Nov. 20, 2004.
Rich Glickstein/rglickstein@thestate.com
University of South Carolina head coach Lou Holtz (in red cap) and Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden (far left) try to stop their players from fighting during a bench-clearing brawl in the fourth quarter of their Nov. 20, 2004, game at Clemson as the Gamecocks lost 29-7. Holtz, in his sixth season at USC, announced his retirement the next Monday.
Erik Campos
The State
Clemson football coach Tommy Bowden stands by an F-16 fighter jet with a Clemson tiger paw on its tail wing just before climbing into the cockpit of another F-16 fighter jet in May 2005 at McEntire Air Base. Bowden flew in the passenger seat of the jet to fulfill a longtime ambition to feel like a Top Gun pilot.
MARY ANN CHASTAIN/AP
Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden reacts after Wake Forest runs for a first down late in the fourth quarter of the Oct. 1, 2005 game at Grove Stadium. The Demon Deacon's defeated the Tigers, 31-27.
Jill Richards/The State
USC coach Steve Spurrier and Clemson coach Tommy Bowden greet each other before their game Nov. 19, 2005, at Williams-Brice Stadium.
Jeff Blake/jblake@thestate.com
Clemson coach Tommy Bowden and Colorado coach Mike Hankwitz shake hands at the center of the field after the Tigers defeated the Buffaloes 19-10 Dec. 27, 2005, at the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando.
Rich Glickstein/rglickstein@thestate.com
Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden can't bear to watch the action during the third quarter of Clemson's game against Florida State on September 16, 2006.
Gerry Melendez/gmelendez@thestate.com
Clemson Head Coach Tommy Bowden, in his eighth year at Clemson, puts his head in his hands after Clemson surrendered a two-touchdown lead in the third quarter during its game against South Carolina on Nov. 25, 2006. USC won 31-28 at Memorial Stadium.
Rich Glickstein/rglickstein@thestate.com
Clemson coach Tommy Bowden talks with side judge Phil Laurie during the second quarter of the Tigers' Music City Bowl football game against Kentucky in Nashville on Dec. 29, 2006.
John Russell/AP
Louisiana Tech head coach Jack Bicknell and Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden shake hands after the Tigers defeated the Bulldogs 33-13 at Memorial Stadium on Sept. 2, 2007.
Rich Glickstein/rglickstein@thestate.com
Head coaches Tommy Tuberville and Tommy Bowden shake hands at midfield before Clemson took on Auburn during the Chik-fil-A Bowl Dec. 31, 2007, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
Rich Glickstein/rglickstein@thestate.com
Clemson QB Woodrow Dantzler is congratulated by head coach Tommy Bowden on his game-winning touchdown against Georgia Tech in this undated file photograph. Clemson defeated the Yellow Jackets 47-44 in overtime.
Tim Dominick/tdominick@thestate.com
A cartoon featuring caricatures of Lou Holtz and Tommy Bowden.
The State illustration
Clemson University football coach Tommy Bowden tees off at the par-3 7th hole during media day at The Reserve at Lake Keowee in Sunset, S.C., in this undated file photograph.
SEFTON IPOCK/Anderson Independent-Mail
Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden is carried off the field by DeJuan Polk, left, and Khalled Vaughn after the Tigers' 63-17 victory over South Carolina in this undated file photograph.
TRAVIS BELL/Sideline Carolina
Clemson coach Tommy Bowden gets drenched with Gatorade after Clemson upset Florida State 26-10 in Clemson in this undated photograph.
Todd Bennett/The State
Tommy Bowden, left, discusses his departure from the head football coaching position at Clemson University during a press conference Monday with Clemson Athletic Director Terry Don Phillips. Bowden compiled a 72-45 record in nine-plus seasons as Clemson's coach. He agreed Monday to step down after this year’s team got off to a disappointing 3-3 start.
Patrick Collard/AP