Online Monitoring Report:Clemson Football

Lee Anne GoforthVirginia Offerle

Before Wake Forest

• Preseason: – Clemson picked to win ACC Championship

– Cullen Harper picked to win ACC Player of the Year

Clemson at Wake Forest

• Clemson Tigers suffer 12-7 loss

• Clemson gained only 197 yards of total offense

• Bowden stated, “We tried everything.”

Aftermath

• Head Coach, Tommy Bowden, fired

• Offensive Coordinator, Rob Spence, fired

• Quarterback, Cullen Harper, benched

What does this mean?

- Clemson University has been overwhelmed by the outcome and aftermath of the loss to Wake Forest.

- It has been a topic of discussion in class, with teachers setting aside lesson plans to talk with students about their opinions on the issue.

- Celebration has occurred throughout campus, with a general feeling of relief and excitement.

How Has Clemson Handled This Issue?

• Clemson University has done a good job getting information to the public though media, including television, news releases, and online blogs; however, according to Twitter, Clemson did a poor job informing the football players.

• Tommy Bowden has accepted the news well, stating “I wish Clemson University nothing but the best in the future.”

Online Monitoring

• Using searches such as Clemson, Tommy Bowden, and Clemson football on Addictomatic and Alltop, the search results were the same across the board. Most agreed with Bowden being fired, and fans seemed to be hopeful for the future. Few sympathized with Bowden, and the majority agreed that it was about time for a change.

Future Monitoring

• Clemson University should continue to monitor the opinions of students, faculty, fans, and the football community.

• Clemson’s football community should try to stay positive while moving forward with the rest of the season.

• The overall conclusion seems to be that the right decision was made. Hope for the future is high.