Bowden Out of Running for Alabama Job

Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden, who was considered to be one of the leading candidates to succeed Ray Perkins as Alabama football coach, said he is withdrawing his name from consideration for the job.

A spokesman for Florida State, which beat Indiana, 27-13, in the All-American Bowl on New Year’s Eve to complete a 7-4-1 season, said that Bowden plans to meet with university President Bernard F. Sliger today to inform him of his decision to stay at the school.

Bowden, a native of Birmingham, Ala., has been the coach at Florida State since 1976. He has compiled a 90-36-1 record.

Others who have been mentioned as candidates at Alabama include Louisville’s Howard Schnellenberger, Texas A&M;’s Jackie Sherrill, Clemson’s Danny Ford and Alabama assistant Jim Fuller.