Tommy Bowden resigns as Clemson coach

Tommy Bowden decided he had done all he could do for Clemson football, telling his athletic director Monday he’d step aside for the future of the program.

Terry Don Phillips said his intent Monday morning was to have a candid, heart-to-heart talk with Bowden about the football team. So Phillips was surprised when Bowden offered to walk away in midseason. “There wasn’t a gun to his head,” Phillips said. “He put it on the table for the sake of the program. I agreed.”

Bowden will be paid through the end of the season, then get $3.5 million as a buyout.

Assistant head coach and receivers coach Dabo Swinney will take over the club.

Clemson, ranked ninth to start the season, is 3-3. Bowden’s record with the Tigers was 72-45.

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The college careers of two senior wide receivers, North Carolina’s Brandon Tate, and Kentucky’s Dicky Lyons Jr., ended early because of knee injuries suffered in games last week.

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Vanderbilt, coming off its first loss of the season, will go with Mackenzi Adams at quarterback instead of Chris Nickson. The No. 22-ranked Commodores play at No. 10 Georgia on Saturday.