Swinney discusses his relationship with Tommy Bowden

by Tony Crumpton - Assoc. Editor - Tue Jul 21 10:30:02 GMT-05:00 2015

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney was asked on Tuesday morning during the 2015 ACC Football Kickoff about his relationship with former Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden.

"First of all, I love Coach Bowden," Swinney said. "I wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't for Tommy Bowden. He was my first position coach at Alabama. A lot of people don't know that. When I first joined the team in the fall of '88, spring of '89, fall of '89, he was the receiver coach. I really liked him as a coach. He was an excellent receiver coach, a lot of energy. Then right after my redshirt freshman year he left for Kentucky. But we always kind of maintained a relationship. He was only at Kentucky for like a year, then he was at Auburn. As I finished my playing career, I would see him before the games. We would always talk. Then I got right into coaching. So I'd see him on the road all the years that I was at Alabama and he was at Auburn. Then obviously he got the Tulane job. I was still at Alabama coaching receivers then. So always communicated with him. Even when he went to Clemson. Just a real blessing."

Swinney said he was excited to get back into coaching when Tommy Bowden called him in 2003.

"He literally called me out of the blue on a Friday," Swinney said. "I coached eight years at Alabama, then got out of coaching '01 and '02, those two seasons. He just called me in February of '03, asked me if I was interested in getting back into coaching. I said, Absolutely. Had it not been for that relationship, just that seed that was planted years ago when I was just a young player, probably wouldn't have had that opportunity. So very fortunate that he gave me a chance to come to Clemson. We have a great relationship. In fact, that was my very first interview was Coach Bowden. What a way to start the day off. But he's been incredibly supportive. In fact, when they made the change at Clemson, Terry Don Phillips, I'll never forget it, that day, his exact words to me were, That was Coach Bowden's suggestion, would he give me a shot to be the interim. I'm very much indebted to Tommy BowdenTommy Bowden
Head Coach
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