Clemson, SC -- (Sports Network) - Tommy Bowden has stepped down as head coach at Clemson University.

After meeting twice on Monday morning with athletic director Terry Don Phillips, it was agreed that Bowden would no longer be the school's head coach.

"Terry Don Phillips approached me this morning and we agreed that this is the best solution for the direction of the program," said Bowden in a statement on the school's website. "Clemson has been very good to me and my family. Both of our children are Clemson graduates.

"I appreciate the opportunity Clemson University gave me and the support of the administration while I was here. I also want to thank all the players and coaches who worked so hard for this program the last 10 years.

"I wish Clemson University nothing but the best in the future."

Assistant head coach/wide receivers coach Dabo Swinney will take over on an interim basis. Swinney is in his sixth season with the Tigers.

Bowden was in his 10th year with Clemson, which is just 3-3 after entering the 2008 campaign with lofty expectations. The Tigers were ranked ninth in the preseason, but opened with a humbling 34-10 setback against Alabama in the Georgia Dome. Then came victories over the Citadel, North Carolina State and South Carolina State, before consecutive losses to Maryland and Wake Forest.

The Tigers managed just 24 points in the last two games and Bowden, following last Thursday's 12-7 setback at Wake Forest, decided to make a change at quarterback. Redshirt freshman Willy Korn was set to take over for senior Cullen Harper.

Bowden agreed to a contract extension last December after reports at the time circulated that he was speaking with Arkansas about its coaching vacancy.

The Tigers have posted a record of 72-45 under Bowden, who has never had a losing season in his tenure as a head coach. He took over at Clemson in 1999 after spending two successful seasons as the head coach at Tulane. The Green Wave notched a mark of 18-4 in Bowden's two years, including 11-0 in 1998.

Bowden leaves Clemson with the third-most wins in school history. He never had a losing record in ACC play and the Tigers reached a bowl game in eight of his nine full seasons -- taking themselves out of bowl consideration in 2004 after an on-field incident during the season-finale against South Carolina.