Tommy Bowden was fired after Clemson’s loss to Wake Forest, dropping the preseason number nine team to a very average 3-3. Clemson was expected to not only compete for the ACC title this year, but also for a national championship. With loads of talent returning on offense, Clemson was completely shut down by both Alabama and Wake Forest.

This was Bowden’s 10th season at Clemson, compiling a 72-45 record along the way. Quarterback Cullen Harper said that Bowden “got what he deserved,” a quote you’ll only hear when a team had already quit on their coach. Assistant head coach and wide receivers coach Dabo Swinney will coach out the season.

Bowden turned down an offer in the offseason to take over at Arkansas, where he also likely would not be coaching a winning team, to stay at Clemson. He accepted a very lucrative contract extension after last season, but his team’s 3-3 start this year just didn’t cut it.

The firing is also taking a toll in the recruiting department. From ESPN.com:

“Meanwhile, two highly touted recruits have dropped Clemson from their lists in the wake of Bowden’s ouster, according to JC Shurburtt, who covers Southeast recruiting for ESPN.com. Safeties Craig Loston from Aldine, Texas and Devonte Hollomon from Rock Hill, S.C., both said they are looking elsewhere. Loston is the No. 1 safety on the ESPN150 list of safeties and is No. 8 overall; Hollomon is No. 3 on the safeties list and No. 20 overall.”

With two of the best running backs in the ACC (maybe the nation), Clemson just couldn’t get their offense going, and after just six games, it seems as if most of the team quit on Bowden. When that happens, there is pretty much no going back.

Bowden will be better off moving on, and Clemson needed to make this change. Everyone wins today, except for this year’s football team.

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