MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama head football coach Joey Jones has hired Tim Bowens as the Jaguars’ wide receivers coach, filling one of the vacancies on his staff, the program announced Monday.
Bowens comes to South Alabama after two seasons coaching receivers at Samford. He previously coached at UAB and Alabama, where he also played wide receiver.
Two Seasons at Samford
Bowens helped Samford reach the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs in 2013, the program’s first playoff berth since 1992. The Bulldogs went 8-5 overall and 6-2 in Southern Conference play, earning a share of their first league title since joining the conference in 2008. Samford also finished in the top 20 of both The Sports Network and coaches’ polls for the first time.
Samford led the Southern Conference in passing offense at 292.8 yards per game and in total offense at 415.6 yards per game. Three of Bowens’ receivers ranked among the league’s top six in receiving yards per game.
Kelsey Pope caught 68 passes for 789 yards and was named first-team all-conference by both the league’s coaches and media. Pope finished his career as Samford’s all-time leader in receptions with 250. Karel Hamilton caught 38 passes for 657 yards and seven touchdowns and was named a first-team Freshman All-American and to the Southern Conference All-Freshman team.
Stops at UAB and Alabama
Before Samford, Bowens spent five years coaching wide receivers at UAB, where he worked with Frantrell Forrest as Forrest moved to second on the Blazers’ career receptions list.
Bowens coached receivers at Alabama in 2006. That season completed a four-year stretch with the Crimson Tide in which he also worked as assistant director of operations and director of high school/NFL relations.
As a player, Bowens was a wide receiver at Alabama from 1996 to 1999 and was named to the Academic All-SEC team as a senior. During his playing career, the Crimson Tide played in three bowl games, appeared twice in the SEC Championship Game, won the SEC Western Division twice and posted two 10-win seasons. In his senior year, Alabama beat Florida for the SEC title and played in the Orange Bowl.
Bowens was a student assistant on the Alabama staff in the spring of 2000, when he completed his degree. He then spent two seasons as offensive coordinator at Coffee High School before becoming head coach at Tanner High School, and he was named Limestone County Coach of the Year in 2002.
Bowens is the half brother of South Alabama defensive ends and outside linebackers coach Freddie Roach.
Bowens, Jones Comment
Bowens said he has known Jones and his sons for years and has followed Jones’ career from the high school level to college.
“I’m looking forward to coaching in a great conference and to being at a university where things are on the rise,” Bowens said. “And I’m excited about where this program is going.”
He pointed to the growth of the South Alabama program over the past several years. “To be able to come to a program that is really taking off speaks volumes,” he said.
Jones said the decision was an easy one.
“Tim is as good of a person that I know,” Jones said. “He’s a very experienced guy, having coached at Alabama, UAB and Samford. Everybody I talked to about Tim has the utmost respect for his coaching ability and him as a person. Of course, I’ve known him for years so this was an easy hire for me.”
Two Openings Remain
Jones still has two positions to fill on his staff. Quarterbacks coach Bryant Vincent left to become offensive coordinator at UAB, and defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Kevin Sherrer left for a coaching position at Georgia. Travis Pearson has been promoted to defensive coordinator.
Jones is interviewing candidates for the quarterbacks and defensive backs positions.
South Alabama, a member of the Sun Belt Conference, is scheduled to open spring practice on Monday, March 10.
