January 1, 2009

Bowden hired at North Alabama

Just days after heaping praise in their general direction in a Rivals.com article, Terry Bowden has been hired by division II North Alabama as the new head coach of the Lions.

A D-II juggernaut, the Lions own three national championships and have been to the playoffs three times in the last four years.

Bowden, who takes over for Mark Hudspeth after his departure to Mississippi State, became enamoured with the UNA position weeks ago while covering the DII championship game between Northwest Missouri State and Minnesota Duluth. He even tacked this insight into his story on the game:

The game was played on the beautiful campus of the University of North Alabama - the only Division II school ever to win back-to-back-to-back national titles. While I was down in Auburn winning 20 consecutive games in '93-94, I wasn't even the winningest coach in the football-crazy state of Alabama. The great coach at UNA, Bobby Wallace, was up the road in Florence winning two straight national championships during those years – and oh yeah, he tacked on that third straight one in '95.

Bowden told the Times Daily that everything just clicked at UNA that afternoon.

"About the time I was thinking about where I would want to coach I happened to come here for the Division II game," he said. "I've always loved this area, and thought it would be a great place to raise a family. When I heard coach Hudspeth had resigned, I began to talk with (athletics director) Mark Linder. It soon became clear that this is where I wanted to coach."

Bowden has a 111-53-2 record in 15 seasons as a head coach, including a 47-17-1 record in six seasons at Auburn. Despite an NCAA probation, Bowden led the Tigers to a perfect 11-0 in 1993 and would eventually win 20 straight. He was selected as the D-IA national coach of the year in 1993.

Bowden continued:

"I wanted to go somewhere where winning is important and a place that has great tradition. I also wanted to be at a place where I can make a contribution, not just to the school and the football program but the whole community. I'm from Alabama and I've recruited this state for many years. UNA just fit everything I wanted."

Congrats to Terry. He's got his fans & detractors, particularly in the wake of his departure from Auburn under uncertain circumstances. But that's behind him now, for better or worse.

I've always felt that he got hosed by the Tigers. Everything that has happened since Bowden left (the Petrino jet-gate, the Tubs "resignation") has only confirmed Bowden's story in my mind. It will be nice to see him back on the sidelines.

Comments:

Bowden hired at North Alabama
Just days after heaping praise in their general direction in a Rivals.com article, Terry Bowden has been hired by division II North Alabama as the new head coach of the Lions. A D-II juggernaut, the Lions own three national championships and have been to the playoffs three times in the last four years. Bowden, who takes over for Mark Hudspeth after his departure to Mississippi State, became enamoured with the UNA position weeks ago while covering the DII championship game between Northwest Missouri State and Minnesota Duluth. He even tacked this insight into his story on the game:
The game was played on the beautiful campus of the University of North Alabama - the only Division II school ever to win back-to-back-to-back national titles. While I was down in Auburn winning 20 consecutive games in '93-94, I wasn't even the winningest coach in the football-crazy state of Alabama. The great coach at UNA, Bobby Wallace, was up the road in Florence winning two straight national championships during those years – and oh yeah, he tacked on that third straight one in '95.
Bowden told the Times Daily that everything just clicked at UNA that afternoon.
"About the time I was thinking about where I would want to coach I happened to come here for the Division II game," he said. "I've always loved this area, and thought it would be a great place to raise a family. When I heard coach Hudspeth had resigned, I began to talk with (athletics director) Mark Linder. It soon became clear that this is where I wanted to coach."
Bowden has a 111-53-2 record in 15 seasons as a head coach, including a 47-17-1 record in six seasons at Auburn. Despite an NCAA probation, Bowden led the Tigers to a perfect 11-0 in 1993 and would eventually win 20 straight. He was selected as the D-IA national coach of the year in 1993. Bowden continued:
"I wanted to go somewhere where winning is important and a place that has great tradition. I also wanted to be at a place where I can make a contribution, not just to the school and the football program but the whole community. I'm from Alabama and I've recruited this state for many years. UNA just fit everything I wanted."
Congrats to Terry. He's got his fans & detractors, particularly in the wake of his departure from Auburn under uncertain circumstances. But that's behind him now, for better or worse. I've always felt that he got hosed by the Tigers. Everything that has happened since Bowden left (the Petrino jet-gate, the Tubs "resignation") has only confirmed Bowden's story in my mind. It will be nice to see him back on the sidelines.