5-star freshman RB Demarkcus Bowman details why he is transferring from Clemson
Demarkcus Bowman was the No. 20 overall prospect in the 2020 recruiting class. He chose Clemson over offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and others, but his time with Dabo Swinney’s Tigers is coming to an end after just two games.
News broke Thursday afternoon that Bowman had entered the NCAA’s transfer portal. Entering the portal does not bound a player to leave the program, but Bowman has confirmed he will be continuing his college football career elsewhere.
RELATED: News of Demarkcus Bowman entering transfer portal stirs excitement within Gator Nation
Bowman detailed to TigerNet why he originally came to Clemson and why he will play elsewhere.
“The only reason I came to Clemson is so my mother’s dad could watch me play,” Bowman told TigerNet. “He stayed in Atlanta, but he passed away and that really hurt me. He was my closest family to me up there and I just didn’t feel comfortable anymore. I just want to go to a school closer to home.”
A month after his maternal grandfather’s passing, Bowman’s paternal grandfather also passed.
“I started to feel uncomfortable,” Bowman said. “It was uncomfortable being so far from home. So I really just wanted to be closer to home.”
Bowman is from Lakeland, Florida, roughly two hours south of the University of Florida. On 247Sports, four recruiting analysts have logged Crystal Ball predictions that Bowman will transfer to Dan Mullen’s program in Gainesville.
He leaves with high praise for Swinney’s program.
“Clemson is a very great program,” Bowman told TigerNet. “They have very great coaches and academic and is literally the most perfect place. It was just not the fit for me, though.”
The desire to be close to home and play with most of his fellow High School Stars recruited by Mullen & Company was just too much. Unbelievable get for the Gators who are already flying high
Sounds like a classy young man.
The gators haven’t got him yet!!! Miami is a much better team for any running back. Unless he thinks he might still play away from the state of Florida. Georgia is not to far away. Just one state over!
Miami is UNBEATEN and on the rise!!!! Mullen don’t use the running backs he has! Why would a 5 star running back want to play for Mullen? Only to lose to UGA!!! UGA USES THEIR RUNNING BACKS AND PUTS THEM IN THE LEAGUE REGULARLY!!!!
PS. I’m sorry to hear about his grandfather. It’s good that people still love people at all these days!!! Sounds like a good kid. I hope he doesn’t join the enemy! Mullen will ruin his career!!! Seriously he should choose Miami or UGA!!!! Even UCF is better than Florida.
King Negan
Phht, Miami will likely get clobbered by Clemson unless have the team catches Covid.
Official, Bowman transfers to UF.
Perine got drafted after last season, in case you didn’t notice him on the Jets roster. Florida is the highest ranked team in the state, for football and academics. Wake up, you’re sleeping on the gators taking over… and yeah, Bowman is offish coming to Gainesville.
There is no chance he goes anywhere else but the University of Florida. Book it
I would say that’s a pretty good chance and that would be a huge pickup for them.
Also a HUGE MISTAKE on his part. Mullen doesn’t use the running backs that he has! Also Ol Chris B that just left Florida. His father said that Mullen treated his son like a piece of meat!!! Demanding that he move faster with an injury!!! Said his son played through injuries all the time. But that Mullen kept demanding more and more that he couldn’t do!!!
While in contrast to that. D’wan Mathis father said that Kirby Smart and staff have treated his son like their own child! He credits UGA and their world-class medical staff with SAVING HIS SONS LIFE!!!!!
PS. So Mullen ruins lives. Not hard to believe considering how close he is with Urban Liar! Mullen ruins lives and Kirby and UGA save them!!!!! Sounds about right!
UGA IS RBU!!!!!!!
King Negan
Wow. Urban Liar? Butt hurt much? You know he retired right?
Negan, slow your roll dude. It’s too early to get that jacked up.
You should go back to blogging on CNN. There are too many people with a brain on this site for you.
I hope this guy feels more comfortable. That’s always tough to lose someone.
I have a lot of respect for the way he is handling himself through this process, really hope he goes to Florida. We could use someone of his skill set. He could end up at UCF though, that is closer to home for him.
Lots to consider here. Evidently he was definitely leaving, as Dabo cut his financial aid as soon as he entered the portal. But Clemson commits are not even allowed to continue their visits after committing.
I think the cutting of financial aid just shows that it was a mutual departure. It’s not a “look at my options and then maybe come back to Clemson” type thing. He wants to be closer to home, Clemson understands that and wont try to persuade him to stay.
I read somewhere that Smarts policy is if you enter the portal there is no coming back. Part of the policy of continuing visits after committing as he has giving his word that he (Smart) will not look for another at that position if a player commits.
Why are you bringing up Kirby? There have been two players that i can remember off of the top of my head, Prather Hudson and Robert Beal that entered the portal and then came back.
@Gator-65…….Kirby Smart never said anything like this! In fact he told Justin Fields that they always had a spot for him if he ever wanted to return to UGA! Justin Fields admitted that himself. And said he wanted to return to UGA after he got to OSU! But his father talked him into staying at OSU!!! Also both Prather Huson and Robert Beal were in the portal and came back to UGA!!!!
PS. People just keep telling lies about UGA!!!
King Negan
Hudson not Huson!!!
I think Fields probably made the smart decision staying at Ohio State, I don’t think his father steered him wrong. And Day is a completely different animal under center than Meyer. Why do you think he was so willing to let Tate Martell slip away to Miami?
Maybe Bowman asked him to. But I don’t think Dabo’s the classiest guy in the room , personally I think he’s a jerk, and I wouldn’t be surprised to find out Dabo did it out of spite frankly.
Moo…Dabo=jerk agreed 100%
UCF’s campus is on the opposite side of Orlando from Tampa. It’s only 20 minutes closer to Tampa than UF’s campus in Gainesville, which is a straight shot up I-75.
You mean Lakeland?
Yes
You respect him now! But let him come to UGA or Miami and you’ll lose all respect!!!!
PS. He seems like a great kid. But Mullen never uses a running back!
King Negan
Guess you didn’t see Pierce and Malik Davis against Ole Miss.
King troll doesn’t watch football
Gosh, I feel terrible for this kid. Glad things should work out to where he won’t lose eligibility over this. Prayers for him and his family.
Me too. I can’t imagine losing two grandparents just a month apart.
Tough breaks for him, hope he finds a school he feels comfortable at.
This is the weekend wheee the hype bubble gets busted on Florida
Against SC at home?
@Mountain Dog…….Are you forgetting UGA was at home last year with SC? If I was betting I probably would just leave this one alone! But honestly I do believe that SC can beat Florida!!! Did you actually watch the game between Florida and ole miss? The media made it sound as if Florida just ran away with the game!!! THEY DIDN’T!!!!
Ole Miss helped to beat themselves in that game. But Kyle Trask had all day to sit back and throw the football. And ole miss moved the ball with EASE on Florida all day!!!! SC is more talented than people think. So yep, I’ll go with SC in an upset! Because they have a much better defense than Ole miss! And probably just as good of an offense.
PS. I’m sure that Florida is feeling pretty cocky to!!! I think Florida is a bit better. But not as much as some think!!!! UGA WILL SLAUGHTER FLORIDA IN THE COCKTAIL PARTY!!!!
King Negan
Yeah. Sure it is.
Hype bubble? I didn’t see your team breaking any SEC records last weekend.. If anything, you underperformed against a lowly mizzou.. Used to Alabama would put 50+ points against an opponent like that..
Nobody has wowed out of the gate this year because of COVID. Practicing without hitting pads (See Navy) is a recipe for sloppy play. I wouldn’t judge the results right now until week 3 or 4 for eaah respective conference…
Really?
Come on ova, come on ova baby
Dang. When I saw the headline I was hoping UGA would talk him into coming to Athens, but if he wants to be closer to home, we don’t have much of a shot. We’d save him about 15 minutes travel difference.
Apparently he didn’t really let the coaches know he was leaving(until he was gone) and that the structure of the program was an issue for him. Clemson apparently knew going into his recruitment that he would have to work his way into the culture and work ethic. Shocked it only took 2 games however.
Not that the family matters weren’t a factor and wishing the best to he and his family. I just think that “having to be close to family” is also a way to get granted the transfer and avoid losing a year of eligibility. Reports on the other freshman RB for clemson were much higher coming out of spring/summer camp and kobe has been getting more PT as a freshman.
Guessing you’re a Clemson fan.
From the Associated Press: “Team spokesman Ross Taylor said Thursday that Bowman talked with Clemson coaches about his desire to transfer.”
The kid had two different grandparents die, and you’re suggesting he’s manufacturing a story for eligibility? And do you really think a true freshman is going to leave after the first two weeks of the season over playing time? Just have some class and wish him well.
One other thing. I believe if you check the team stats, you will find that Bowman had more rushing attempts, more yardage and a higher average per carry than Kobe Pace through two games.
UCF has been dipping in the portal. I’m hoping Knox gets him in the fold. Finley is already here and I think Bowman will follow.
UF is only 20 minutes farther from Tampa than UCF, and why would he want to play Little League? His former teammates are Gators.
I think Mullen will get directly involved in this one.
Mullen should definitely be on top of it. For some reason UCF gets these players and I can’t understand why. That quarterback from Hawaii is awesome and his backup is just as talented. How does this happen??
Immediate playing time.
Because Mullen is an A$$HOLE!!!! A clown and loses to UGA every year!!! UCF IS THE TOP TEAM IN FLORIDA!!!! Miami is on their heels though!!!
PS. Plus Mullen has no clue how to use a running back!!!!
King Negan
UCF has never gotten a guy this elite.
UCF has a pipeline to Hawaii, but Milton and Gabriel, good as they are, are too small for a top 10 program. Stetson Bennett is bigger.
Negan,that is your opinion and your entitled to it , but they’re also like @ssholes everybody has one. Some of us UGA fans and we know who they are constantly bash Mullen and Fla who has done a tremendous job at Fla in his short tenure , yes he hasn’t beaten UGA yet , but if he gets this kid which it is looking like he most likely will being several of his high school teammate’s are already there. He”s not going to UGA , if that were the case he would have stayed at Clemson. Gainsville is two hrs from his home. We UGA FANS, WE KNOW WE KNOW WHO WE ARE. DESPISE MULLEN. ONLY BECAUSE HE MAY BE CLOSING THE GAP AND GETTING OVER THE HUMP AND BEATING UGA.
Looks like king neagen will also be showing up back here around three pm tommorrow to eat a little crow and a few servings of humble pie. Uf is going to spank USC.
Dawgtime, you sound like a very reasonable fan along with a lot of UGA fans on SDS. negan, corch and tdow are the biggest @ssholes on this site by a long shot. They talk condescendingly towards EVERY fan base and act as if UGA is leaps and bounds better than everyone.
Its hard not to be humble.. I was eighteen when UGA was National Champions.Forty years is a long time.Fla Ga has always been streaky. We dominated in the 80″s Fla dominated in the 90″s and 2000’s ,at one point Fla had won 18 out of 21.i get UGA has won three in a row , but sooner or later Fla will turn that around. I’ve heard of the @ssholes you’ve mentioned. The wons running their mounths and when UGA loses you don’t find them here.they go crawl up under their rock or into their hole.
A little too reasonable, @sds1967.
On 3rd down FL defnese sucksssssssss
He is a drama queen Nothing more
@ Honeysoup , he doesn’t lose a year of eligibility anyway. Noone does do to covid. He also should be eligible next season due to not attending another ACC school. Fla got him .They SDS pronted another article today saying he’s going to UF.Good get for the Gators.
I’d stay in orange,Knoxville real close! I go to Fl every yr almost and always hurry back.