Bowden to Sign Contract with Clemson |
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Clemson fans may soon be able to put to rest fears of
Tommy Bowden's rumored departure to Alabama. Bowden will sign a new contract this week which could pay him up to $1.5 million a year for as many as eight years, according to sources close to the situation. Bowden's current contract pays him in excess of $800,000, counting bonuses and radio/TV money. Negotiations between Bowden and Clemson officials have been ongoing in recent weeks, the sources say, and may have intensified this past Wednesday when it was announced that Alabama coach Mike DuBose would not return to the Crimson Tide for the 2001 season. The announcement is expected sometime in the next few days, which would end speculation that Bowden has an interest in the Alabama position in time for the team to focus itself on the Nov. 18 home game with South Carolina, the sources said. Bowden's name has been prominently mentioned for the Alabama coaching job, alo ng with those of Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer and Miami's Butch Davis, for much of the last two months. Bowden was born in Birmingham and has twice coached in the state as an assistant, at both Auburn and Alabama. DuBose's job had been in jeopardy after the Crimson Tide got off to a slow start for the second consecutive season. The announcement that he would not return for 2001 was made on Wednesday, days after Alabama was humiliated by a 40-38 loss to Central Florida. The announcement said DuBose had agreed to resign. However in an interview with CBS television which aired on Saturday, DuBose disputed that report and said he had been fired. Bowden is in his second season as Clemson's head coach. He guided the Tigers to a 6-6 record and a Peach Bowl appearance in 1999, one year after Clemson finished 3-8 in Tommy West's final season. Dan Scott is the sports editor of Seneca Daily Journal/Clemson Daily Messenger. His columns can be read at www.dailyjournalmessenger.com.
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