Career
He served as the head football coach at The College of William & Mary in 1935 and at the University of Akron in 1939 and 1940, compiling a career college football record of 10–13–5. Dowler also coached the William & Mary men"s basketball team from 1934 to 1937 and the Akron Zips men"s basketball team in 1939-1940, tallying a career college basketball mark of 30–43. Dowler played football, basketball, and baseball at Colgate University.
He played with the Brooklyn Dodgers in the NFL for 2 games in 1931.
Dowler holds the dubious distinction of being the only men"s basketball coach in school history to guide his team to a winless season. The Tribe went 0–13 in conference play and 0–18 overall during the 1936-1937 season.
Dowler went 21–29 over his three years at William & Mary. He finished his one-year stint as basketball coach at Akron with a 9–14 record.