Tommy Bowden Agrees To Four-Year Contract Extension With Clemson

December 4, 2007 8:50 p.m. EST

Columbia, SC (AHN) - Tommy Bowden brushed aside all the rumors that he would be the next coach at Arkansas as he signed a four-year extension with the Clemson on Tuesday.

While the exact financial details of the extension were not released, Bowden's deal should keep him coaching at Clemson's Memorial Stadium through 2014.

The extension was a reward for Bowden's 69-41 record in nine years with the Tigers. Most recently, Clemson went 9-3 this past year and it will play archrival Auburn in the upcoming Chik-fil-A Bowl.

At a press conference announcing the new deal, Bowden mentioned he hopes to finish his coaching career with Clemson.

"I fully intended when I came here nine years ago to make this my last stop," he said.

Arkansas' rumored desire to land Bowden could have helped pressure Clemson into the extension but the Tigers coach said he was never offered a job with the Razorbacks and he was always confident his current employer would give him a good reason to stay.

One of those reasons appear to have been of a financial nature as Clemson's athletic director said Bowden did receive a raise and he will be among the top third highest-paid coaches in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Bowden, who is the son of legendary FSU coach Bobby Bowden, acknowledged the new deal was something that made him proud.

"Anytime you sign a new contract, you feel a little better," the younger Bowden said. "It's kind of like Christmas. You keep the gift all year, but when you open it up, it's always a little nicer."