Terry Bowden
Encyclopedia
Terry Bowden is an American football
coach at the University of North Alabama
. Bowden was previously the head coach at Salem University (1983–1985), Samford University
(1987–1992), and Auburn University
(1993–1998). Bowden is the son of former Florida State University
head football coach Bobby Bowden
. He is the brother of Tommy Bowden
, the former head football coach at Clemson University
, and Jeff Bowden
, the former offensive coordinator
at Florida State who serves as Terry's receivers coach at North Alabama.
, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi
Fraternity, and graduated magna cum laude
with a degree in accounting. His father, Bobby Bowden
, was the Mountaineers' head coach until 1975, and Bowden lettered twice as a running back for his father's successor, Frank Cignetti, Sr. In addition to his post-graduate work at Oxford University in England
, Bowden also received his Juris Doctor degree from Florida State University College of Law
.
in 1983. While at Salem, he won two West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
titles. In 1986, Bowden left to be an assistant coach at Akron University for Gerry Faust
. In 1987, Bowden became the head coach at Samford University
, a school where his father played and coached. At Samford, Bowden directed the program's move from Division III football to Division I-AA scholarship football. In 1991, Bowden's Samford team reached the I-AA semifinals.
as the head football coach at Auburn University
. Bowden's hiring occurred while the program faced NCAA
sanctions, which included scholarship reductions, a one-year television ban, and a two-year postseason ban.
During his first year at Auburn, Bowden led the Tigers
to a perfect 11–0 season, becoming the first coach to go undefeated in his debut season at a Division I school. In 1994, Auburn
finished 9–1–1, establishing the longest winning streak in school history at 20 games.
In 1997, Auburn
reached the SEC Championship Game
, where they held as much as a 20–7 lead, but lost after they gave up a last minute, 73-yard touchdown pass by Peyton Manning
of the Tennessee Volunteers
.
In 1998. Bowden's fate at Auburn changed as he faced criticism for recruiting woes, off-the-field issues that resulted in player discipline, and in his relationships with Auburn supporters. These issues combined, with a string of injuries at center and in the backfield, lead to a disastrous start of the 1998 season
. After starting with a 1–5 record, Bowden resigned as head coach the night before Auburn played against Louisiana Tech
. In conversations with athletic director
David Housel, Bowden was given no assurances he would have a chance to remedy the situation for the next season, and that he believed his termination was imminent. The team was coached for the remainder of the season by Bill Oliver
.
as "Daddy". He is also an exclusive college football columnist for Yahoo! Sports
. In 2006, Bowden became the expert analyst for Westwood One
radio network's College Football National Game of Week. He also co-hosts "The Coaches Show" on Sirius Satellite Radio
with Jack Arute
and works several times a month as a motivational speaker
.
In a July 30, 2007 column, writing a few weeks before the 2007 college football season, Bowden said he was eager to go back to coaching for the 2008 football season. In December 2007, the coaching job at his alma mater West Virginia
opened up: Rich Rodriguez
left to be Michigan
's coach. Bowden issued a statement which read in part, "Coming home to West Virginia would obviously be the dream job for me." However, West Virginia offered the job to one of Rodriguez's assistants, Bill Stewart
, who was the interim head coach when the Mountaineers upset the Oklahoma Sooners
in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl
. In late 2007, Bowden interviewed for the head coaching job at Georgia Tech
, which ultimately went to Paul Johnson
.
Bowden returned to the broadcasting booth for the 2008 season. At the end of the year, Bowden took the head coach position at a Division II school, North Alabama
.
. He was officially introduced as the head football coach at the University Center on January 1, 2009. Bowden was tapped to replace Mark Hudspeth
, who left after directing the Lions
to a 66–21 record and a third berth in seven years in the national playoff semifinals to become the passing game coordinator at Mississippi State University
under new head coach Dan Mullen
.
to an NCAA Division III National Player of the Year award. Fisher later became quarterbacks coach for Bowden at Auburn, and after much success as the offensive coordinator for LSU
, Fisher succeeded Bowden's father as head coach at Florida State
. Another quarterback from Bowden's time at Auburn, Patrick Nix
, has been the offensive coordinator for Georgia Tech and Miami (FL)
.
title, bowl game and Coaches' Poll
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach at the University of North Alabama
University of North Alabama
The University of North Alabama is a coeducational university located in Florence, Alabama, and the state's oldest four-year public university....
. Bowden was previously the head coach at Salem University (1983–1985), Samford University
Samford University
Samford University, founded as Howard College is a private, coeducational, Alabama Baptist Convention-affiliated university located in Homewood, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It includes the , Cumberland School of Law, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Brock School of Business, Ida V....
(1987–1992), and Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
(1993–1998). Bowden is the son of former Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
head football coach Bobby Bowden
Bobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden is a retired college football coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons...
. He is the brother of Tommy Bowden
Tommy Bowden
Tommy Bowden is an American football coach who served as the head coach at Clemson University from 1999 until October 13, 2008...
, the former head football coach at Clemson University
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
, and Jeff Bowden
Jeff Bowden
Jeff Bowden is an American college football coach at the University of North Alabama. He currently serves as receivers coach on his brother Terry's staff. Before that he served as the offensive coordinator for the Florida State Seminoles under his father and head coach Bobby Bowden...
, the former offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at Florida State who serves as Terry's receivers coach at North Alabama.
Education
Bowden attended and played football for West Virginia UniversityWest Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at Jefferson College in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania on February 19, 1852. There are over a hundred chapters and colonies at accredited four year colleges and universities throughout the United States. More than 112,000 men have been...
Fraternity, and graduated magna cum laude
Latin honors
Latin honors are Latin phrases used to indicate the level of academic distinction with which an academic degree was earned. This system is primarily used in the United States, Canada, and in many countries of continental Europe, though some institutions also use the English translation of these...
with a degree in accounting. His father, Bobby Bowden
Bobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden is a retired college football coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons...
, was the Mountaineers' head coach until 1975, and Bowden lettered twice as a running back for his father's successor, Frank Cignetti, Sr. In addition to his post-graduate work at Oxford University in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Bowden also received his Juris Doctor degree from Florida State University College of Law
Florida State University College of Law
Florida State University College of Law is the law school of Florida State University in Tallahassee. The law school's highly accomplished and accessible law faculty delivers a program that has an interdisciplinary orientation designed to produce well-rounded and effective lawyers.The law school...
.
Career
Terry Bowden began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Florida State before becoming the nation's youngest head coach at age 26 when he accepted the position at Salem CollegeSalem International University
Salem International University is an American private university located in Salem, West Virginia, in the United States...
in 1983. While at Salem, he won two West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which historically operated exclusively in the state of West Virginia, but has now expanded into Pennsylvania...
titles. In 1986, Bowden left to be an assistant coach at Akron University for Gerry Faust
Gerry Faust
Gerard Anthony "Gerry" Faust is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame from 1981 to 1985 and at the University of Akron from 1986 to 1994, compiling a career college football record of 73–79–4...
. In 1987, Bowden became the head coach at Samford University
Samford University
Samford University, founded as Howard College is a private, coeducational, Alabama Baptist Convention-affiliated university located in Homewood, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It includes the , Cumberland School of Law, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Brock School of Business, Ida V....
, a school where his father played and coached. At Samford, Bowden directed the program's move from Division III football to Division I-AA scholarship football. In 1991, Bowden's Samford team reached the I-AA semifinals.
Auburn University
In 1992, Bowden was hired to succeed Pat DyePat Dye
Patrick Fain Dye is a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at East Carolina University , the University of Wyoming , and Auburn University compiling a career college football record of 153–62–5...
as the head football coach at Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
. Bowden's hiring occurred while the program faced NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
sanctions, which included scholarship reductions, a one-year television ban, and a two-year postseason ban.
During his first year at Auburn, Bowden led the Tigers
1993 Auburn Tigers football team
The 1993 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 1993 NCAA Division I-A football season. Under first-year head coach Terry Bowden, the team went undefeated with a record of 11–0 and finished #4 in the AP Poll. Due to NCAA probation, Auburn was banned from TV and post-season...
to a perfect 11–0 season, becoming the first coach to go undefeated in his debut season at a Division I school. In 1994, Auburn
1994 Auburn Tigers football team
The 1994 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 1994 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by second-year head coach Terry Bowden, they continued the success of the previous season by going 9–1–1. Some of Auburn's wins came in dramatic fashion...
finished 9–1–1, establishing the longest winning streak in school history at 20 games.
In 1997, Auburn
1997 Auburn Tigers football team
The 1997 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team, coached by Terry Bowden, finished with a 10–3 record and won the school's first SEC West Division championship, but lost by a point to Tennessee in the 1997 SEC Championship...
reached the SEC Championship Game
1997 SEC Championship Game
The 1997 SEC Championship Game was won by the Tennessee Volunteers 30-29 over the Auburn Tigers. The game was played in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia on December 6, 1997 and was televised to a national audience on ABC.-External links:*...
, where they held as much as a 20–7 lead, but lost after they gave up a last minute, 73-yard touchdown pass by Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
of the Tennessee Volunteers
1997 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 1997 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. Quarterback Peyton Manning had already completed his degree in three years, and had been projected to be the top overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft, but returned...
.
In 1998. Bowden's fate at Auburn changed as he faced criticism for recruiting woes, off-the-field issues that resulted in player discipline, and in his relationships with Auburn supporters. These issues combined, with a string of injuries at center and in the backfield, lead to a disastrous start of the 1998 season
1998 Auburn Tigers football team
The 1998 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season.After using six different centers on the offensive line due to injury, Auburn finished the season with a 3–8 record. The Tigers began the season coached by Terry Bowden, who led the team...
. After starting with a 1–5 record, Bowden resigned as head coach the night before Auburn played against Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football program represents Louisiana Tech University in Western Athletic Conference. The team currently competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Since the Bulldogs first season in 1901, Louisiana Tech has compiled an all-time record of 554 wins, 422...
. In conversations with athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
David Housel, Bowden was given no assurances he would have a chance to remedy the situation for the next season, and that he believed his termination was imminent. The team was coached for the remainder of the season by Bill Oliver
Bill Oliver
-External links:...
.
Broadcasting career
After resigning at Auburn, Bowden accepted a role as a studio analyst and color commentator for ABC Sports' college football coverage where he oftened referred to his father Bobby BowdenBobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden is a retired college football coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons...
as "Daddy". He is also an exclusive college football columnist for Yahoo! Sports
Yahoo! Sports
Yahoo! Sports was launched on December 8, 1997. It receives a majority of its information from STATS, Inc., employs various writers, and has team pages for teams in almost every North American sport...
. In 2006, Bowden became the expert analyst for Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
radio network's College Football National Game of Week. He also co-hosts "The Coaches Show" on Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
with Jack Arute
Jack Arute
Jack Arute, Jr. currently covers the NFL and college sports for Sirius XM Radio. He is the president of the Stafford Motor Speedway in Connecticut...
and works several times a month as a motivational speaker
Motivational speaker
A motivational speaker or inspirational speaker is a speaker who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. In a business context, they are employed to communicate company strategy with clarity and help employees to see the future in a positive light and inspire workers to pull...
.
In a July 30, 2007 column, writing a few weeks before the 2007 college football season, Bowden said he was eager to go back to coaching for the 2008 football season. In December 2007, the coaching job at his alma mater West Virginia
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
opened up: Rich Rodriguez
Rich Rodriguez
Richard A. "Rich" Rodriguez is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Arizona. Rodriguez previously served as the head football coach at Salem University , Glenville State College , West Virginia University , and the University...
left to be Michigan
Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
's coach. Bowden issued a statement which read in part, "Coming home to West Virginia would obviously be the dream job for me." However, West Virginia offered the job to one of Rodriguez's assistants, Bill Stewart
Bill Stewart (football coach)
Bill "Stew" Stewart is an American football coach. He was named interim head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers after Rich Rodriguez left for Michigan in December 2007. After leading the Mountaineers to a 48–28 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners in the Fiesta Bowl, he was formally...
, who was the interim head coach when the Mountaineers upset the Oklahoma Sooners
2007 Oklahoma Sooners football team
The 2007 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 2007-2008, winning the Big 12 Conference Championship for the fifth time in eight years. The team was led by head coach Bob Stoops...
in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl
2008 Fiesta Bowl
The 2008 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl was a college football bowl game sponsored by Tostitos. It was part of the 2007–2008 Bowl Championship Series of the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Played annually since 1971, first at Sun Devil Stadium on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe,...
. In late 2007, Bowden interviewed for the head coaching job at Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
, which ultimately went to Paul Johnson
Paul Johnson (American football coach)
Paul Johnson is an American football coach. He is currently the head coach at the Georgia Institute of Technology, a position he has held since the 2008 season. Previously, Johnson served as the head coach at Georgia Southern University from 1997 to 2001 and at the United States Naval Academy...
.
Bowden returned to the broadcasting booth for the 2008 season. At the end of the year, Bowden took the head coach position at a Division II school, North Alabama
North Alabama Lions football
The North Alabama Lions football team represents the University of North Alabama in the NCAA Division II competing as a member of the East Division of the Gulf South Conference . UNA plays its home games at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama...
.
North Alabama
On December 31, 2008 it was announced that he would be the next head football coach at the University of North Alabama in FlorenceFlorence, Alabama
Florence is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Alabama, United States, in the northwestern corner of the state.According to the 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the city's population was 36,721....
. He was officially introduced as the head football coach at the University Center on January 1, 2009. Bowden was tapped to replace Mark Hudspeth
Mark Hudspeth
-External links:*...
, who left after directing the Lions
North Alabama Lions football
The North Alabama Lions football team represents the University of North Alabama in the NCAA Division II competing as a member of the East Division of the Gulf South Conference . UNA plays its home games at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama...
to a 66–21 record and a third berth in seven years in the national playoff semifinals to become the passing game coordinator at Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
under new head coach Dan Mullen
Dan Mullen
-External links:** on Bulldog Junction's website* article on Coach Mullen as new MSU head coach* Dan Mullen goes from Trinity star QB to Mississippi State head coach...
.
Coaching tree
While at Salem and Samford, Bowden coached quarterback Jimbo FisherJimbo Fisher
John James "Jimbo" Fisher is an American college football coach and former player. He is currently head coach at Florida State University....
to an NCAA Division III National Player of the Year award. Fisher later became quarterbacks coach for Bowden at Auburn, and after much success as the offensive coordinator for LSU
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
, Fisher succeeded Bowden's father as head coach at Florida State
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
. Another quarterback from Bowden's time at Auburn, Patrick Nix
Patrick Nix
Patrick Nix is a college football coach and former player in the United States.-Player:Patrick Nix began his career at Etowah High School in Attalla, Alabama. Nix was a standout quarterback at Auburn University, where he came in for an injured Stan White vs. Alabama to help lead the Tigers to a...
, has been the offensive coordinator for Georgia Tech and Miami (FL)
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
.
Head coaching record
‡ Ineligible for SECSoutheastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
title, bowl game and Coaches' Poll