Old Coaches In New Positions For Alabama, Clemson

TUSCALOOSA — Alabama running back Glen Coffee knows Saturday night’s game will be special for his position coach, Burton Burns.

The players know Burns, in his second season at Alabama, was a Clemson assistant under Tommy Bowden from 1999-2006.

But Burns is hardly making this game personal.

“He talks about us. He doesn’t talk about Clemson,” Coffee said. “In the game plan he talks about them, but, personally, he keeps that aside. I know he’s fired up about it, but right now he is just focused on what we have to do to help the team win.”

Bowden laughed when asked about his relationship with Burns.

“He calls every other day wanting to come back,” the coach said. “Sorry Burton. I hope coach (Nick) Saban doesn’t hear this.”

It’s clear Bowden has high regard for his former assistant.

They had been together since before Clemson. Burns was an assistant on Bowden’s staff at Tulane in 1997 and followed him to Clemson.

“Burton was one of my first hires when I went to Tulane,” Bowden said. “He never meets a stranger, (has) a great personality, a great family. He’s kind of special to me because he was on my original staff, and he came with me here.

“So I’m real appreciative of what he’s done for me in my career. He’s not only a really good coach and a really good recruiter, but a really good person. He’s a special guy to me and my family.”

Swinney now a Tiger: On the other side of the field, former Alabama assistant Dabo Swinney will be working as Clemson’s receivers coach.

Swinney either played or coached at Alabama from 1988 to 2000. A member of the 1992 national championship team, Swinney has been on Bowden’s staff at Clemson since 2003.

Asked what Swinney brings to the table, Bowden said, “C.J. Spiller, Jamie Harper and Antoine McClain.”

“Coach Saban tried to hire him a couple of times,” Bowden said. “Kind of the whole package when you look at coaches. Guys that are interested in advancing in the profession — he’s got the total package. His wife, Kathleen and his family. Relationships. He has all the things that are necessary and that’s what other coaches who have talked to him about hiring have said. Recruiting is awfully important, and surely that’s something he’s above average at.”

Bowden said Swinney, like Burns, is concentrating on the game.

“He’s been doing it for a long time, and he’s familiar with all the distractions that come along with big games,” Bowden said. “Once the game starts, it’s just another game.”

That will change after the game, the coach added.

“After the game, he’ll either get a lot of calls from Alabama people or he’s going to be one doing the calling,.”

Traffic will be bad: On the cusp of the season opener in the Georgia Dome, the Georgia Department of Transportation said a major reconstruction project where I-85 south meets I-75 south will result in major delays this weekend.

Fans planning to attend the 2008 Chick-fil-A College Kickoff between Alabama and Clemson, as well as all of the pregame festivities on Aug. 30, will be greatly affected and are advised to exercise alternative transportation plans.

Fans traveling to Atlanta are urged to arrive early. Activities all day are planned in Centennial Olympic Park including ESPN’s College GameDay from 10 a.m. to noon and fan areas from noon to 6 p.m. Admission is free.

Also, consider parking at a a MARTA station and taking the train downtown. For $1.75 each way, customers can take the East/West rail line and walk directly into the Dome or to Centennial Olympic Park. Customers taking the North/South rain line will need to transfer to the West Line at Five Points rail station and travel one stop to the Dome/GWCC, Philips Arena/CNN Center Station.

Train service runs from 5 a.m. until 1 a.m. EDT. Parking for less than 24 hours is free at all Marta parking facilities. Fans traveling on I-85 North from Alabama can park at Exit 72 (Camp Creek Parkway). Travel a block past I-85 and turn right at the College Park Station sign. Continue through two traffic lights and turn left in the College Park Station.

“There’s no sugar-coating the challenging traffic situation, but we’re doing everything we can to reduce the inconvenience to the fans coming in for the game,” said Gary Stokan, Chick-fil-A Bowl president. “We have an entire day of great fan events in Centennial Olympic Park, so we urge everyone to arrive early, follow the transportation plan and gear up for a great day of football.”