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Who is your choice for Clemson's next football coach?
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Every day I get an e-mail with a new rumor. Most every day I get a phone call asking about a new rumor.
And with Clemson’s 2008 football season down to its final three games (unless the Tigers win out and get a minor bowl bid), the rumor mill is now churning at warp speed.
Who will be the new coach?
I have no clue. And I’m guessing school president James Barker and athletic director Terry Don Phillips don’t really know, either. They have a lot better idea than you and I, but coaching searches can turn on a dime.
When Tommy Bowden walked away last month the people’s choice seemed to be Bobby Johnson.
The Columbia native, Clemson grad and man who led Furman to a national championship seems like a no-brainer, especially after Vanderbilt got off to a 5-0 start.
But the Commodores haven’t won since, and while no football coach should ever be judged by wins and losses at a school that doesn’t even have an athletic department, Vandy’s recent swoon has made a few people nervous.
How about Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy? He’s a man … he’s 41 … and Phillips knows him quite well. A great coach who runs an exciting offense, it might come down to whether or not Gundy is interested in leaving his alma mater.
How about Will Muschamp?
The Texas defensive coordinator has been talked up for years as the next great head coach, and he might well be. Transforming from a proven assistant into a winning head coach is a crapshoot, however.
Georgia gambled and won with Mark Richt.
Ole Miss gambled and lost with Ed Orgeron.
The hottest rumor of late has Phil Fulmer trading in one shade of orange for another.
Yep, the man who has won 150 games and a national championship while guiding the Volunteers is now being touted as the man who can take Clemson to the next level.
Fulmer is only 58, meaning he still might have a lot of coaching years left in him.
Don’t be surprised if it happens.
Of course more names will pop up in the coming days and weeks.
If Tommy Tuberville gets his walking papers at Auburn, he’ll be in the mix.
Former Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin could be a candidate as well.
And of course Dabo Swinney is getting a look, although it’s hard to say just how serious school officials are about removing his interim tag.
When all is said and done, Clemson is going to need more than simply an Xs and Os football coach. It’s going to have to get a guy who can galvanize the fans base, recruit like crazy and make the players believe they can and will win a championship.
That person might be on the list you just read. Or, he might be someone I haven’t even thought of.
Your guess is as good as mine — maybe better.
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Dabo Swinney should be the first choice for Phillips to look at. I think that Clemson would be stupid to look elsewhere.
Mike Leach
Mike Leach should be the next coach.
Regardless of who the next coach is, the fans will run them off too! Just like they have run off Ken Hatfield, Tommy West, and now, the Great Tommy Bodwen.
Bring Danny back!
in response to Underdawg
Danny Ford is 61 yrs old & not interested.He's enjoying the farm life.
in response to 2much4U
I'll agree that Hatfield was run off. But Tommy West was a mediocre coach and he has proven that at his latest job...Memphis. As for "the Great Tommy Bowden"......great at what???? Underachieving? Showing no emotion? Grazing on the sidelines? Being soft?
You just proved to the rest of the people what a couple of us already knew....you don't know a single thing about the game of football! Especially Clemson football!!!!
As for the coach they should hire.....he's one of the best recruiters out there and was the mastermind of the real USC's monster offense. Hiring anyone other than that would be settling for a lesser coach. That man is...... Lane Kiffin. Open the wallet TDP. Pay him what he wants.
My apologies to coach Swinney. Just not enough experience for this job.
in response to redrider2k5
Danny is always interested in the $$$. Is Clemson not a farm?
Venables from OK....hes got swagger and can recruit like no one else. Hes got the possibility to bring an energy back to Clemson that we havent seen since the Fridge. Im not hype on Kiffin...maybe its my dislike for pro sports. And Fulmer....Clemson wants to produce like the SEC so why not go after an SEC coach. Hes got a resume that speaks for itself. I hate the SEC just as much as anyone else but you gotta give it up for coaches like him and even Spurrier. yeah i hate that guy but he can coach like nobodies business...i said it so sue me. Whoever it is, Hes gotta know and the fans are gonna have to know its gonna be a process. Rebuilding will happen and it has to happen. Do I feel like paying him 34 million dollars will make it happen....well ask any fairweather bama fan down here...apparently money does buy you a number 1 spot. Either way we gotta go after a guy thats gonna bring the spark back and will not make us look like idiots when Corso puts on our mascot on gameday.
I think we should hire Swinney, what??? Not enough experience? He has played football at Alabama as a walk on (clearly, he is intelligent enough to figure it out) and was chosen over players who had seriously played for years; coached football on a college level, not as head coach, but at least on the level; and if we can let Pres Elect Obama lead the free world with his lack of experience, perspectively, Swinney is already here and ready to coach. Y'all seriously don't want to feel like Maryland, KU, and Texas A&M and be sad that y'all may miss another Bear-type coach. Anyway, if I got to choose, I would pick someone who either played for SEC or coached for them and may the Tigers beat Duke tomorrow!!!
I saw Danny Ford at a yard sale a couple months ago and he very plainly said that he was NOT interested in coaching again. He has plenty of money and even if he didn't, I doubt he'd go back to Clemson.
GO TIGERS 31-0 3rd quarter!!!!
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