Bowden Takes Foot Out Of Mouth

Clemson football coach Tommy Bowden doesn't know quite when to shut up.

Earlier this week, Bowden told reporters that he is considering using true freshman quarterback Willy Korn in some "critical" game situations to see how he will perform.

Starting quarterback Cullen Harper, told of the comments later, questioned why the team would consider platooning quarterbacks if he is healthy, and performing at a high level.

Bowden almost immediately gained some politically correct coaching religion, apparently in an attempt to apply some salve to Harper's wounded feelings. When Bowden was asked about all of this after Harper had responded to his earlier Korn Plan, he tried to blow off the whole issue. "Why would I discuss some hypothetical that may or may not happen later this year?"

We don't know, Tommy, we don't know. After all, you're the one who said it in the first place.

As those who have observed him over the years have come to know, Bowden's bedside manner with reporters sometimes lands foot promptly in mouth. This is one of those cases. Now you can be sure Harper has a chip on his shoulder -- but towards his own head coach, and Bowden is trying to once again back-door his way out of a negative situation of his own doing.

Regardless of what Bowden meant, or just what he was thinking when he played the Korn card again, he stirred up the stink in his own pot.

One of these days all of that shoe-leather soup is going to sour on Bowden.