head coach gridiron football player
He is a son of Bobby Bowden, former head football coach of Florida State University, against whom he has coached in games nicknamed the "Bowden Bowl." He is also a brother of Terry Bowden, currently head football coach of the University of Akron.
Before coming to Clemson, Bowden was the head coach at Tulane University, and an assistant at the University of Alabama, Auburn University, Duke University, the University of Kentucky, East Carolina University and, with his father, at Florida State. Despite being one of only two undefeated teams in the regular season, Tulane was not even considered for a bid in a Bowl Championship Series game because it was believed they had not played a legitimate schedule. Bowden was hired as Clemson"s head coach before the 1999 season.
Bowden"s Clemson teams went to a bowl game every year he coached there, except in 2004, when, after a brawl with rival South Carolina, both teams withdrew from bowl consideration for that season.
Assistant head coach/wide receivers coach Dabo Swinney was named as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Bowden attended and played football for West Virginia University from 1972 through 1976.
Bowden is an evangelical Christian. He has openly used his religion as a recruiting tool, saying that his faith “was a tremendous recruiting advantage.”.
Married Linda Joan White. Children: Ryan, Lauren.
