Bowdens visit Troy for skills camp

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, June 18, 2003

The Bowden family has descended on Troy once again for the Bobby Bowden football camp.

High school football players from around the Southeast were registering in the Tine-Davis Field House to register for the three-day passing clinic. The camp focuses solely on passing and catching, so athletic players searching for scholarships as quarterbacks, wide receivers or tight ends showed up. The number of campers is around 150.

"There's no secondary or linebackers in the drills," said Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden, who also works at the camp. "This camp is specifically designed for passers and receivers."

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The entire Bowden football family joins in the fun for the weekend clinic. Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden will be in Troy, as will assistant coach and son Jeff Bowden. Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden and ABC football analyst and former Auburn head football coach Terry Bowden also participate.

Bobby Bowden turned Florida State from a perennial loser to one of the top football programs in the nation, including two national championships. Tommy Bowden led Tulane to an undefeated season before leaving for Clemson, and Terry Bowden led Auburn to an undefeated season in 1993 when Auburn was on probation.

Tommy Bowden said the family name led to the high interest.

"With the success my dad has had, and I and my brother Terry can evaluate talent, I think the name has generated some interest," Tommy Bowden said.

The camp is in its 13th or 14th year, Tommy Bowden said, and the relationship with Troy State the past five or six years has been great.

"We all knew (TSU head coach Larry Blakeney) and this school is centrally located to the states we draw from," Tommy Bowden said. "It was always been a good camp."

Troy State could also benefit from the camp. Since the camp draws so many college-level athletes to the campus, Troy State has a chance to see some talented players.

Troy State officials said the expansion of Movie Gallery Stadium has piqued the interest of several people who were registering.

"If the stadium was complete, no one would notice," said Academic Coordinator Sohail Agboatwala. "But since it's under construction, several people have commented about how big it is going to be and how nice it will be."