Clemson Begins Search for New Head Football Coach

November 23, 1998

CLEMSON, S.C. – Clemson University’s search for a new head football coach will be guided by a set of criteria established by President Constantine W. “Deno” Curris and released today (Nov. 23).

The criteria include:

Successful Division I head coaching experience. A clear anddemonstrated commitment to the academic priorities of theuniversity and the academic success of student-athletes. A strongrecord of recruiting and retaining student-athletes with goodcharacter and talent, and demonstrating concern for their welfare.Personal integrity and an unimpeachable record of NCAA rulescompliance.

Board of Trustees Chairman Lawrence Gressette said the board unanimously supports the criteria and interprets them to exclude former Clemson head coach Danny Ford.

“The Board acknowledges and accepts the apology Mr. Ford issued through an interview in today’s Greenville News for the probation sanctions and other mistakes committed during his tenure as head coach at Clemson. But based on these criteria, he will not be considered for the position,” Gressette said. “It is time for Clemson to move forward and find the right person to lead the football program into the next decade.”

Curris has also appointed a three-person advisory committee to serve as advisors to himself and Athletic Director Bobby Robinson. Committee members are Ben Anderson, university counsel and chair of the NCAA certification review committee, Becky Bowman, assistant athletic director for compliance, and Dr. Cecil Huey, NCAA and ACC faculty representative.