Defensive Coordinator Hired

[bdan2002]

From Football Scoop: <A href="http://footballscoop.com/the-scoop">http://footballscoop.com/the-scoop</A><BR><BR>North Texas: We have confirmed that Dan McCarney has hired Western Kentucky defensive coordinator Clint Bowen for the same position.<BR><BR><A href="http://www.kuathletics.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/bowen_clint00.html">http://www.kuathletics.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/bowen_clint00.html</A><BR><BR><IMG src="http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/kan/sports/genrel/auto_headshot/2061452.jpeg"><BR><BR>Clint Bowen, an assistant on the University of Kansas staff the last 12 seasons including the last four as defensive coordinator, has been named WKU's defensive coordinator. Bowen also previously served as the Kansas special teams coordinator for five seasons in addition to various stints coaching the Jayhawks safeties, running backs and tight ends. He helped Kansas post a 3-1 bowl record during his tenure, including a 24-21 win over Virginia Tech in the 2008 Orange Bowl. Kansas finished the 2007 season with a 12-1 record and No. 7 national ranking in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today coaches polls.<BR><BR>Bowen served as the Kansas defensive coordinator the last two seasons after spending the 2006 and 2007 seasons as co-defensive coordinator. He also coached the Jayhawks' safeties from 2003-09. A former Kansas standout player, Bowen was promoted to co-defensive coordinator in February 2006 and to defensive coordinator in January of 2008. Prior to his promotion, Bowen spent five years as KU's special teams coordinator.<BR><BR>The 2008 Jayhawk defense forced 25 turnovers and recorded 29 sacks as nine different players recorded interceptions and 14 different Jayhawks registered sacks. Five players on the defensive side of the ball earned All-Big 12 recognition at the end of the year, including first-team selection Darrell Stuckey, one of Bowen's safeties. Kansas also ranked third in the Big 12 in pass efficiency defense and fourth in rushing defense. The Jayhawks ranked 28th nationally against the run, allowing just 123 yards per game on the ground. Kansas closed the season with a 56-21 win over Minnesota in the Insight Bowl.<BR><BR>Under Bowen's direction KU has had a safety earn All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors or better every year since 2003. Stuckey, a national honors candidate in 2009 and an All-Big 12 First Team selection in 2008, recorded 98 tackles, five interceptions and seven passes broken up in 2008. Justin Thornton, who started the first half of the season at free safety and the last half of the year at cornerback, was fifth on the team in tackles. Stuckey also led the Jayhawks in total tackles (93) and solo tackles (63) in 2009.<BR><BR>As co-defensive coordinator in 2007 the KU defense produced one of its best seasons in recent history. Kansas held its opponents to just 94.8 rushing yards per game, the second-fewest allowed in KU history (83.2 in 2005). The defense held six opponents (all Big 12 foes) to less than 80 yards rushing and fewer than 200 yards passing. The 317.3 total yards per game were the second fewest allowed in the last 26 years (303.2 in 2005) by the Jayhawks.<BR><BR>During the 2005 season, Bowen guided KU's kickoff coverage unit which ended the season as the top coverage team in the Big 12. In addition, KU's kick return (5th Big 12, 20.3 yards per return) and punt return (4th Big 12, 12.1 yards per return) units both ranked near the top of the conference. Kansas capped the season with a 42-13 win over Houston in the Fort Worth Bowl.<BR><BR>In 2004, Bowen directed the team's kickoff return unit, which ranked third in the Big 12, averaging 21.8 yards per return. KU's kickoff coverage unit also ranked third in the league after allowing just 17.2 yards per return. Bowen worked with the running backs during 2002 and tight ends in 2001. <BR><BR>A native of Lawrence and a prep star at Lawrence High School, Bowen worked as a defensive graduate assistant coach at KU in 1998 and 1999. He served as assistant director of football operations during the 2000 season. In addition to his experience at KU, Bowen served one season (1997) as a graduate assistant at Minnesota with his college coach, Glen Mason.<BR><BR>Bowen was a hard-hitting defensive back for the Jayhawks in 1992-93 following one season at Butler County Community College. He led the KU defense in total tackles in 1993 with 114 total stops. That figure ranks as the third-most single-season tackles by a Jayhawk defensive back in school history.<BR><BR>Bowen was instrumental in helping the Jayhawks to an 8-4 final record, a No. 22 national ranking and a win over Brigham Young in the 1992 Aloha Bowl. He was the recipient of the school's Willie Pless Tackler of the Year Award following his senior season in 1993.<BR><BR>He is the product of a football family. His father (Charley Bowen) was a two-time high school All-American at Lawrence High School and his older brother (Charley, Jr.) was a four-year letter winner as a defensive back for the Jayhawks and played in the Arena Football League.<BR><BR><BR>Coaching Career<BR>Hired in Feb. 2010 at Defensive Coordinator at Western Kentucky<BR><BR>2008-09: Kansas (defensive coordinator/safeties)<BR>2006-07: Kansas (co-defensive coordinator/safeties)<BR>2003-05: Kansas (safeties/special teams coordinator)<BR>2002: Kansas (running backs/special teams coordinator)<BR>2001: Kansas (tight ends/special teams coordinator)<BR>2000: Kansas (assistant director of football operations)<BR>1999: Kansas (defensive graduate assistant)<BR>1998: Kansas (graduate assistant)<BR>1997: Minnesota (defensive graduate assistant)

[untgirl04]

From Football Scoop

North Texas: We have confirmed that Dan McCarney has hired Western Kentucky defensive coordinator Clint Bowen for the same position.

Clint Bowen, an assistant on the University of Kansas staff the last 12 seasons including the last four as defensive coordinator, has been named WKU's defensive coordinator.

I think someone forgot to proofread.

[KRAM1]

Ok, like UNTGirl, I am a bit "uncertain" about this post. Did UNT hire this guy or did W. Ky...was he on the Kansas staff or WKY's...I am sooooooo confused. I'll just have to do the "hrad work" myself and look it up...ha! Thanks for the lead anyway....

[Green92]

I'm confused. Was the first paragraph a copy and paste from something written last season?

[cdizzle86]

So confused.

[Mean Green Matt]

So....we either...

1. Hired a WKU defensive coodinator

2. Hired a Kansas defensive coordinator

OR

3. Dan Mccarney coaches for Western Kentucky now...

Looks like #2 is the answer...Kansas Athletics. I hope it is at least.

Edited December 8, 2010 by Mean Green Matt

[bdan2002]

The first line if from football scoop the other is his bio from the WKU site. WOW!!!

[untbowler]

Actual LinkHmmm, I guess he did not have athletes at WKU, because we whipped his @$$ this year, hopefully no hard feelings towards Canales. Just not sure I guess his 12 years at KU under the fat man makes him a good hire, but the WKU defense this year was worse than our defense. Edited December 8, 2010 by untbowler

[NT80]

From Football Scoop

North Texas: We have confirmed that Dan McCarney has hired Western Kentucky defensive coordinator Clint Bowen for the same position.

Coaching Career

Hired in Feb. 2010 at Defensive Coordinator at Western Kentucky

2008-09: Kansas (defensive coordinator/safeties)

2006-07: Kansas (co-defensive coordinator/safeties)

2003-05: Kansas (safeties/special teams coordinator)

2002: Kansas (running backs/special teams coordinator)

2001: Kansas (tight ends/special teams coordinator)

2000: Kansas (assistant director of football operations)

1999: Kansas (defensive graduate assistant)

1998: Kansas (graduate assistant)

1997: Minnesota (defensive graduate assistant)

He was the WKU DC this past season, now hired by UNT for 2011 it appears.

[untgirl04]

He was the WKU DC this past season, now hired by UNT for 2011 it appears.

Yeah, that doesn't really excite me. If WKU had the best defense in the conference, it probably still wouldn't excite me that much, but why bring in the defensive guy from one of the worst teams in the conference? Since Mac is a defensive guy, I'll just have to hope he plans to whip this guy into shape.

[Mean Green Matt]

If this is true, I like this hire. It sounds like WKU got Bowen under almost the same circumstances that helped us pull in Canales. Mccarney must have just straight up gone in and stolen him away from western.

[FirefightnRick]

If this is true, I like this hire. It sounds like WKU got Bowen under almost the same circumstances that helped us pull in Canales. Mccarney must have just straight up gone in and stolen him away from western.

I agree. This guy helped build an excellent defense that turned Kansas around, plus he knows what top grade special teams look like as well. The good news just keeps coming. Fantastic hire.

Rick

Edited December 8, 2010 by FirefightnRick

[Harry]

http://www.wkusports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5400&ATCLID=204884460

[Harry]

http://www.wkusports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5400&ATCLID=204884978

This is his bio and family pic from the WKU site.

[UNTFan23]

I know people want to question the hire of a WKU DC, but a lot of what lead to the defeat of WKU was turnovers -- the 2 fumble recoveries we converted to points (14). One of those turnovers came on a kickoff return late in the 4th by WKU that gave us a very short field.

[Mean Green Matt]

So far, our entire staff has BCS coaching experience! This is soooo different than last time.

[Green92]

If this is true, I like this hire. It sounds like WKU got Bowen under almost the same circumstances that helped us pull in Canales. Mccarney must have just straight up gone in and stolen him away from western.

I'm not going to hold 1 year at WKU against him, either. Sounds like a great hire!

[Daddy Dumpsalot]

I hope we did not hire someone from WKU.

[MeanGreenGlory]

You can't hold one season at WKU against this guy. McCarney knows what he's doing, I seriously doubt that he would hire a DC that he didn't think highly of.

[KoldBeer]

If true, it's a good hire. I was at Kansas when Clint and his brother played there. He played under Glen Mason (who had success at Kansas and Minnesota). While at Kansas he worked under Bill Young most of the time (even when was listed as Co-Defensive Coordinator it was really Bill Young running the defense). Young has been a DC at several schools (Kansas, OU, Miami, Ohio St and now Okie St). Special teams were really good when he was there. The last two years at Kansas he was the man running the defense (Young left to take job at Miami). The KU defenses weren't that good during those two years but the Big 12 had awesome offenses and KU didn't have a lot of talent. Some thought he might have been over his head a little but he didn't have a lot of support (staff wasn't overly experienced on defensive side of ball and Mangino was offensive coach).

He ended up at WKU because he got screwed in Mangino mess. He was one of three coaches kept by KU to keep things running while they looked for a new coach. Most people assumed he'd get a spot on the new staff. When Gill was hired, none of the old KU coaches were kept so he had to scramble to find a job. Looking over stats, WKU defense did a pretty good job this year.

I know recruiting isn't the main function of a coordinator, but Clint was a solid recruiter at Kansas. He has real good connections with the Juco coaches in Kansas (surprisingly good talent in Jayhawk Conference). Since he spent over a decade in Big 12 country he should help open some doors up.

Most people I know consider Clint a good guy and I know the players at Kansas loved him.

[Harry]

If true, it's a good hire. I was at Kansas when Clint and his brother played there. He played under Glen Mason (who had success at Kansas and Minnesota). While at Kansas he worked under Bill Young most of the time (even when was listed as Co-Defensive Coordinator it was really Bill Young running the defense). Young has been a DC at several schools (Kansas, OU, Miami, Ohio St and now Okie St). Special teams were really good when he was there. The last two years at Kansas he was the man running the defense (Young left to take job at Miami). The KU defenses weren't that good during those two years but the Big 12 had awesome offenses and KU didn't have a lot of talent. Some thought he might have been over his head a little but he didn't have a lot of support (staff wasn't overly experienced on defensive side of ball and Mangino was offensive coach).

He ended up at WKU because he got screwed in Mangino mess. He was one of three coaches kept by KU to keep things running while they looked for a new coach. Most people assumed he'd get a spot on the new staff. When Gill was hired, none of the old KU coaches were kept so he had to scramble to find a job. Looking over stats, WKU defense did a pretty good job this year.

I know recruiting isn't the main function of a coordinator, but Clint was a solid recruiter at Kansas. He has real good connections with the Juco coaches in Kansas (surprisingly good talent in Jayhawk Conference). Since he spent over a decade in Big 12 country he should help open some doors up.

Most people I know consider Clint a good guy and I know the players at Kansas loved him.

Great info Kold. We should all give +1's as this was very helpful as well as to the originator of this thread BDan who broke the news!!

[filmerj]

If anything it should make next years game against WKU pretty interesting.

[UNT Mean Green]

This looks like a nice hire for sure. Glad to have him on board and on the recruiting trails!

Sounds like similar circumstances to Canales in the reason he was at WKU last year (obviously not as experienced as Canales because he's younger). KU had great runs when he was there; and he looks like a young, energetic coach; who has diversified experience in special teams and defense.

[NT80]

How does McCarney know Bowen? There must be a Big 12 connection somewhere. He was the DC for Mangino when KU was good a couple years before Mangino got fired abruptly. McCarney being a defensive-minded coach would not give the DC job to just anyone, he must have wanted him.

Edited December 8, 2010 by NT80

[UNTLifer]

Has he actually been hired? The only confirmation at this time is from Footballscoop.com and they aren't the most reliable site out there. The athletic's website doesn't have anything up and neither Vito or Phillips has posted anything yet.