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Replies: 22
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Orange Phenom [14452]
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Question for older tnetters: why did Clemson hire Tommy West
Nov 25, 2016, 2:01 PM
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I was just looking at his accomplishments, he was 4-7 in one season as hc at Chattanooga before being hired as head coach at Clemson.
I can't recall why/what those in charge at Clemson saw in him.
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All-In [48078]
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Good question.
Nov 25, 2016, 2:11 PM
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I attended Clemson when Hatfield was there. Clemson wasn't that great of a job by the time Tommy West got there. The facilities weren't that great and we weren't that great for bit. I am not sure why he was the guy though. I am also interested.
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Orange Immortal [63026]
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He was seen as the closest thing to Danny Ford.
Nov 25, 2016, 2:12 PM
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He had been an assistant during the Ford years, had a good football pedigree. He was not Ken Hatfield.
Solid guy. Not an elite coach. Then neither was Tommy Bowden.
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Orange Phenom [14452]
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Re: He was seen as the closest thing to Danny Ford.
Nov 25, 2016, 2:15 PM
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Oh OK. That sounds reasonable.
Thanks
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Orange Immortal [63026]
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As an aside, his son who many remember, is now a coach for the Dallas Cowboys
Nov 25, 2016, 2:21 PM
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His son was given a ride on the players shoulders when TW had been fired but won his last game against the coots.
He played for his dad at Memphis.
TW is well-respected in coaching circles. Still coaches at Middle Tennessee.
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Clemson Icon [27790]
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Orange Immortal [64610]
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Rich Rodriguez was the key.***
Nov 25, 2016, 4:42 PM
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Orange Blooded [2404]
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After Danny was run off, and the Hatfield experiment failed,
Nov 25, 2016, 2:15 PM
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the thinking was to find a "Danny disciple". West had coached under Danny, and the hope was that he could replicate Danny's success. Obviously that was a false hope.
Honestly, the administration was so much more inbred and insular back then, and had fumbled the Ford/Hatfield situations so badly, they grasped at any straw.
We were thrilled when Tommy Bowden came and "rescued" us, which he did, in a sense. He doesn't get enough credit. The football program was a dumpster fire when he arrived and he turned it toward respectability.
My perspective, anyway.
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Orange Immortal [64610]
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Tommy Bowden was nothing. It was Rodriguez that saved us.***
Nov 25, 2016, 4:43 PM
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Game Changer [1652]
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Dont be a jerk
Nov 25, 2016, 6:11 PM
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TB did us a good thing and while I recognize RR was a foundational element for making TB appear a possible football mastermind, fact is, it was TB's pedigree which attracted and kept RR for a period.
TB did his part and while we can look back and admit it was time for TB to go, there is no reason I know of to look back and insult TB or what he did here. He did us a lot of good to include nominating our current coach.
BTW, that sweet victory against Tenn in the Peach Bowl was with TB at the helm - that should be enough to soften most folks.
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Orange Blooded [2461]
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Re: Question for older tnetters: why did Clemson hire Tommy West
Nov 25, 2016, 2:18 PM
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if I recall correctly he was in the Ford coaching tree.
I was a student at Clemson when he was hired and I was ticked. could not understand why the heck we would hire a head coach with just (I think it was)2 years of experience.
of course we did the same thing with Tommy Bowden.
and again a few years later with Dabo. the Dabo selection seems to be working out pretty well.
GO TIGERS
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Game Changer [1720]
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Re: Question for older tnetters: why did Clemson hire Tommy West
Nov 25, 2016, 2:22 PM
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Yeah it was the "Clemson ties" mentality that was first and foremost the qualifier.
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Head Coach [785]
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Re: Question for older tnetters: why did Clemson hire Tommy West
Nov 25, 2016, 2:30 PM
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From what I remember Tommy is a Gainesville Ga native and UT graduate...also he was a protégé of Ford and he and Miles Aldridge I think were 2 of the defensive coaches. I do know that when the coaching staff dispersed with the coming of the Hatfield debacle, I think tommy and Miles went to USC for a while before he went to Chattanooga....he rightfully said when he came back that Clemson owned the state in recruiting beck in his time at Clemson...it sort of made sense, Ford protégé, from North Georgia, had recruiting inroads and he was not Hatfield. Where the athletic department screwed up was when Danny got run out, the guy in wait should have been Bill Oliver who was defensive coordinator...my personal favorite what Erk Russell and if Erk would have come to Tiger town we never would have missed a beat. I guess with the boosters and donors we needed a guy with Clemson ties and when you get past West, who else could it have been? Great guy, sorry staff....
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Standout [236]
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i remember Tommy not being our first choice
Nov 25, 2016, 2:24 PM
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Didn't we get turned down by a couple guys? I remember frank beamers name being mentioned.
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Orange Elite [5286]
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First choice was Chuck Reedy
Nov 25, 2016, 2:25 PM
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I believe he has been assistant head coach and running backs coach under Ford. He was given a completely bogus interview after Danny was fired to try and mask the fact that Max Lennon had offered the job to Hatfield in a secret October meeting while Ford was still our coach.
They went back to him when Hatfield left but he overplayed his hand thinking the Clemson AD would cave to any demand he made.
And we wound up with Tommy West. Nice guy but completely over his head.
And before anyone asks, I have not one shred of proof that anything I said above is 100% factual. I've heard the story more than once from several people with varying degrees of influence at Clemson though.
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Orange Blooded [2433]
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he kinda looked like Danny ford
Nov 25, 2016, 2:28 PM
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Enough said.
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All-Pro [704]
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Re: Question for older tnetters: why did Clemson hire Tommy West
Nov 25, 2016, 2:29 PM
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Clemson was still looking for a Danny Ford. When they saw the tobacco juice drooling from Tommy that put them over the edge and they hired him
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Hall of Famer [8119]
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Re: Question for older tnetters: why did Clemson hire Tommy West
Nov 25, 2016, 5:03 PM
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He coached under Ford.
He sounded like Ford.
He looked like Ford.
He tried to coach like Ford (strong running game and defense)
His problem was Florida State. Our offense looked like a dinosaur compared to FSU, and when West decided to try to become a "passing" offense in '96, his goose was cooked. I feel if he would have stuck to his original plan (run game and D), he would have won a lot of games. He just got flaky trying to keep up with FSU.
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Asst Coach [824]
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Re: Question for older tnetters: why did Clemson hire Tommy West
Nov 25, 2016, 5:08 PM
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I will give him big time cudos for one thing. He won his last game and we all know what team that was against.
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Asst Coach [824]
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Re: Question for older tnetters: why did Clemson hire Tommy West
Nov 25, 2016, 5:11 PM
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Hint: Check tomorrow's schedule.
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Asst Coach [824]
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Trainer [28]
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Re: Question for older tnetters: why did Clemson hire Tommy West
Nov 25, 2016, 5:23 PM
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look at some of the rosters while tommy was the coach . he recruited pretty good Anthony simmons brian dawkins maybe rod gardner he wasn't given the same financial backing as Bowden he left Bowden plenty of talent. he is a class act if you were at his last game you would agree
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Replies: 22
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