Tommy Bowden on the Sugar Bowl: "Clemson is the more complete team."
Join Clemson Sports Talk today for just $1. Come be a part of the only Clemson website with a two-hour daily radio show (Monday-Friday) dedicated to the Tigers. Enjoy enhanced coverage of your Clemson Tigers, plus the best look and feel of any Clemson website on your mobile device.
NEW ORLEANS, La. -- Thursday evening Tommy Bowden joined Clemson Sports Talk to discuss the 2018 Sugar Bowl game between Clemson and Alabama. Full audio of the interview can be heard above.
Bowden on the first time he met Saban:
"The first time was pre-game, out there before the game (against Alabama in 2008). That's the first time I ever met him. I had an opportunity when I was a graduate assistant at West Virginia to either go to Florida State and work for an older, experienced coordinator or I could stay there -I was working in the secondary- and they were hiring a new secondary coach from Syracuse who was only 26 years old. It was a guy named Nick Saban. I left West Virginia to go to Florida State to work under an older guy, but just about stayed there and worked for Nick Saban as a young graduate assistant in the secondary at West Virginia."
On coaches similar to Saban:
"There's a guy still coaching right now, he's an older style guy because he's 78 years old, Bill Snyder at Kansas State. Really good coach, the best in the history of that school. He brought that program back to respectability. He's a very similar guy in his sideline demeanor and mannerisms. His teams are disciplined, they're detailed and tough. He's similar to Nick, a little bit older, but same type of demeanor and sideline personality."
On Clemson being an underdog:
"It depends on what part of the country you're from. But right now I'd say Alabama, the fourth seed who barely got in, Clemson the number one seed the last few weeks of the season, but they're the underdogs going into the game. I can't figure that one out because I think Clemson is the more complete team overall. A lot of that is based on I guess the preparation time that maybe Saban has for Alabama. Maybe it's because their running game is more dominant at 265 yards a game. That's the only thing I can think of, because right now I don't see why they're favored in the game. I think a lot of it is based on tradition and accomplishments in the past and they're looking at that whole project of what he's completed."
On Clemson practicing at Tulane:
"You might have more flexibility on the hours you can practice at Tulane than you can inside the indoor facility, there might be a little more functions going on associated with the bowl game, whereas Tulane might have a little more flexibility out there. That's the only thing I can think of. I'd rather practice inside if I'm going to play inside. I don't know the thinking behind the decision there."
On Alabama having a home-field advantage:
"There's going to be so much electricity in that stadium, players will be sky high, I don't think there will be a traditional home-field advantage."