Bowden steps down as coach at Clemson in wake of 3-3 start

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Tommy Bowden decided he'd done all he could do for Clemson football, telling his athletic director Monday he'd step aside for the future of the program.

AD Terry Don Phillips said his intent Monday morning was to have a candid, heart-to-heart with Bowden about the football team. So Phillips was surprised when Bowden offered to walk away in midseason.

"There wasn't a gun to his head," Phillips said.

"He put it on the table for the sake of the program," Phillips said. "I agreed."

Bowden will be paid through the end of the season, then get $3.5 million as a buyout negotiated in the contract extension both sides agreed to last December.

Assistant head coach and receivers coach Dabo Swinney will take over the 3-3 team.

The year began with the Tigers ranked No. 9 and picked to win the Atlantic Coast Conference. But an opening 34-10 rout by Alabama and recent losses to Maryland and Wake Forest raised calls again for Bowden's ouster.

Clemson went 72-45 (43-32 ACC) and made eight bowl appearances under Bowden, who was honored as ACC coach of the year in 1999 and 2003.

— AP