Updated List of Candidates

Here's an updated look at the most likely candidates to replace Tommy Bowden with my thoughts on each. These are in the order that I think will be most likely, taking into account things I have read and heard.

1. Dabo Swinney - Interim Head Coach, Clemson University
I don't think there is any doubt that Terry Don Phillips wants Swinney to succeed and to be able to name him the permanent head coach of the Tigers. The question is what will it take for Swinney to "succeed"? What if he goes 1-5 or 2-4 in his trial run at the helm?

Swinney took over a team in disarray in the middle of the season 5 days before a game with a divided locker room and a worried coaching staff. Oh yeah, the team is all beat to heck, too, and was without it's marquee player for his first game. Swinney quickly united the fans, team, administration and entire Clemson community. He's said all the right things. He's funny. He's likable. He's a winner. Does Phillips have the stones to hire a guy with no head coaching experience (outside of the six game trial by fire)? How will the Clemson nation react? If Swinney wins a 3 or more of the final 5 I say he's in without a doubt and may even have the blessing of the Clemson Nation.

2. Will Muschamp - Defensive Coordinator, University of Texas
The fear with Muschamp is that he will walk once a bigger job comes, open, say Texas, Auburn, or Tennessee. Well, all three of those jobs are currently filled though one can see the writing on the wall in Auburn and Phil Fulmer may not survive the year in Knoxville.
If those two SEC jobs open up (in addition to potentially others) will Muschamp even consider a job in the ACC?

3. Bobby Johnson - Head Coach, Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt, not surprisingly, is dropping like a rock in the creek. Rumor has it that at least one powerful Clemson booster wants Johnson. The fans are lukewarm, at best.

4. Tommy Tuberville - Head Coach, Auburn University
Are we really going to hire a guy that is about to get fired? More detractors than supporters among Clemson faithful.

5. Gary Patterson - Head Coach, Texas Christian University
I like him, but I'm not sure he has more than 5 supporters among Clemson fans.

6. Jim Grobe - Head Coach Wake Forest University
He says he isn't interested though who knows if that is true. Some Clemson fans love him, some hate him. I'm indifferent at this point.

7. Lane Kiffin - Unemployed.
Reportedly no one has been crossed off the original "short" list, but that begs the question was Kiffin ever on it? Phillips said himself that it is important to have ties to the region and that Clemson wasn't Los Angeles. Hmmmm.