Monday July 30, 2007

An Audible

An Audible
I love writing this blog each day and I appreciate your participation. Over the past month I have examined a new position every week and this week is defensive line week but one thing I also love is the freedom to call an audible and change directions when I see fit. This happened this morning when I heard Dan Scott ask on his radio show, “What advice would you give Tommy Bowden?”

I knew right off of the bat. I knew without having to ponder what advice I would give the head coach of the Tigers. In fact I feel so strongly about it I decided to call the audible and devote today’s blog on the subject. Tomorrow I will get back to our schedule and get into Clemson defensive linemen analysis.

Let me preface this blog by saying Tommy Bowden has forgotten more football than I or any reader of this blog has ever known. We all have little idea of what he has to deal with on a daily basis and it is easy to criticize without knowing all of the information he has to consider. But this is a fun topic and since Dan asked I will offer my advice.

I would advise Coach Bowden to change his focus and where he spends most of his time. Tommy Bowden is a very bright man and is very good at certain aspects of his job. Where he is strong I think he is very strong and I think he has just a few weaknesses.

His strengths include his organizational skills, his past hires and the overall running of the football program.

Bowden is one of the most organized coaches I have ever seen. He is detailed and few things slip through the cracks. Bowden and his staff are very thorough in all most every aspect of the program.

I think he has done a wonderful job in his replacement hires. When Tommy West took over at Clemson I think he had a terrific staff but when several coaches moved on West did not hire very well. I think Bowden is just the opposite because his original staff was not that strong but his replacement hires have been special. In my opinion this is Bowden’s best staff.

And I think Bowden runs a good football program. His kids are well behaved. They graduate. He represents the program well. Bowden is well-spoken and his religious devotion should be admired by many.

I think he is a good person, good father and good husband. I like Tommy Bowden and I think he has a great sense of humor. I get his humor but see how some do not. In my dealings with him I think Bowden is a lot better one-on-one than he is in a crowd. Bowden is not a crowd pleaser or someone who likes to mingle in large crowds. Where he is comfortable he is very good. When he gets outside of his comfort zone he is average. Some want Bowden to sit down with them and have a few beers but he does not drink alcohol. Some want him to be a back slapping good ole boy but that is not his personality.

I have no problem with Bowden’s dealings with football from a scheme standpoint. In fact I think he is very good when it comes to Xs and Os.

The only advice I would give Tommy Bowden deals with how he deals with players. This is difficult because it is hard to be something that you are not and many get in trouble by trying to do things they cannot do.

In business you focus on problems and solutions. The best managers find ways to motivate those that can help with the solutions. If Tommy Bowden is on the hot seat the only people who can get him off of the hot seat are his players. If the players are the answer then they should get most of the attention.

If I were Tommy Bowden I would spend less time with boosters. I know IPTAY needs him on the speaking circuit but IPTAY is not as important as the players.

If I were Tommy Bowden I would spend less time in football staff meetings, athletic staff meetings and academic staff meetings. I know these are necessary but those people can’t save his job. Only the players can save his job and for every minute he has to spend in some meeting that is another minute he is away from his players.

If I were Tommy Bowden I would spend more time on every aspect of the players’ lives. I would know every class every player is taking. I would know how their girlfriends were doing. I would know how their moms and dads were doing. I would now every aspect of each players’ academics situations including their schedules, their grades and their study hall attendance. I would know which players are happy and which ones are unhappy. I would want to know how we could help every player in any way possible. It is tough when you have over 100 but that can be looked at as a positive also.

The answer to every question comes down to people. When you have people skills it helps solve problems because you can motivate those that have the answers.

I know some may disagree but I think the staff cannot save his job. They are loyal and they will fight until the end.

Some may disagree but I don’t think boosters can save his job. I know they have to be dealt with but this is not the deciding factor on who will be the coach at Clemson in 2008.

Recruiting is important but the nation’s top class will not be able to save his job. They may help the next coach because Bowden may not be here. The most important part of recruiting for Bowden now is to create the relationships with the players now so they can be enhanced over the next five years.

James Davis going for 1,500 yards and 18 touchdowns can help win enough games to save his job. More thrilling runs by C.J. Spiller will help win enough games to save his job. More pressure on the quarterback by Phillip Merling and Ricky Sapp will help win enough games to save his job. Richard Jackson, Mark Buchholz and Jimmy Maners and their right legs can help win enough games to save his job.

My advice to Tommy Bowden is to spend your time, effort and energy on the real answers to the questions about your future. Your press conferences don’t matter. Most of your meetings will not make a difference. Other relationships are important but your players are the most important after God and family. The Bible tells us in Romans, “If God be for us who can be against us?” In football terms I would say that there are many detractors and many forces against you but if you have your players then who else do you need? Spend the majority of your time interacting with them and enhancing your relationship with them and you will be here in 2008.

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