Bowden, Phillips Discuss Extension

Clemson Athletic Director Dr. Terry Don Phillips said Monday that he has met with Clemson Football Coach Tommy Bowden and is in the process of negotiating a contract extension with the Tigers' head coach.

"I met with Coach Bowden on Sunday and Monday and I feel very good about our discussions," said Phillips. "Our desire is to retain Coach Bowden for the long term. Towards that end, we have entered into negotiations to extend his contract. We hope to complete this process as soon as possible.

"As I stated prior to the South Carolina game, I am very proud of Coach Bowden, his staff and players. They showed great resiliency and great character over the course of the season. We have made considerable progress in all areas of the program, including on the field and in the classroom.

"This football program is on solid ground. We have reached significant accomplishments this year with 16 underclassmen starters. Next year we should have 57 lettermen returning, the most (returning lettermen) in our history. We look forward to our bowl game this year, but the outlook for this program under Tommy Bowden's leadership is bright for years to come."