Bowden Looking To Maintain Intensity This Saturday

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After practice audio from Tommy Bowden: Windows Media

CLEMSON - While Tommy Bowden waits for the latest tombstone to be added to the walkway into the Jervey practice facility, he finds himself answering all-too familiar questions from the media.

After such an emotional victory on the road over No. 9 Florida State - which precipitates the placing of the tombstone later this week - how will his team respond when North Carolina comes calling Saturday at Death Valley? Will the Tigers be focused and intense, or are they primed for another of the maddening inconsistent performances which has plagued Bowden's program over the past two or three seasons?

As usual, the coach isn't sure which way the wind is blowing.

"That's the million dollar question," he said following Wednesday's workout. "We're sure going to talk about it. That (energy) is what we've got to have. But it's hard to tell out there in practice. Nobody likes practice.

"I've been at 11 different schools, coached in the SEC, and I've never seen a whole lot of enthusiasm four games into the season on Tuesday or Wednesday."

Not that that's a bad thing at this juncture.

"I don't need (the intensity) today," he said. "I need it Saturday at 12:07 p.m. I don't need it today, I don't need it tomorrow and I don't need it Friday. But I'd better have it Saturday at 12:07."

Elsewhere on Wednesday, Bowden said work on the kicking game is coming along well. The coaches have been working on both protection and speeding up the snap-to-kick process.

Bowden said he expects it to be fixed by Saturday.

He also said the plan is to find more playing time for the reserve offensive linemen this week, if possible. The opportunities to get them in game action the past two weeks have been few, Bowden said.

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- Bowden delivered the line of the day in reference to word that the new tombstone would be in place by Friday:

"I (asked Director of Football Operations) Andy Johnson why isn't it going to be here Wednesday? Most people die you get it three days later."

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