Jeff Bower (American football)

Jeff Bower
Sport(s) Football
Biographical details
Born May 28, 1953
Roswell, Georgia
Playing career
1971
1972–1975		 Georgia
Southern Miss
Position(s) Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1975–1977
1978–1981
1982–1986
1987
1988
1989
1990–2007		 Southern Miss (GA)
Southern Miss (WR/QB)
SMU (QB)
Wake Forest (QB)
Southern Miss (OC)
Oklahoma State (OC)
Southern Miss
Head coaching record
Overall 119–83–1

Statistics

Accomplishments and honors

Championships

4 Conference USA
1 East Division

Awards

1990s Conference USA Coach of the Decade
3x Conference USA Coach of the Year

Jeffrey J. Bower (born May 28, 1953) is an American football coach, most recently at the University of Southern Mississippi. He assumed the role of head coach at Southern Miss on December 2, 1990, and held it for 17 years until November 26, 2007, when he resigned effective after the Papajohns.com Bowl which was played on December 22, 2007.[1] Under his tutelage, the Golden Eagles put together a continuing streak of fourteen straight winning seasons, the 5th longest streak in college football.[2] Bower's Southern Miss teams had also been to bowl games 10 of the last 11 seasons.

High school

Jeff Bower grew up in Roswell, Georgia, where he attended Roswell High School. He led the football team to two state championships and became an eventual prep All-American, one of the school's first. He also started for two state champion baseball teams and one state champion basketball squad.[3] He was named Class A Player of the year and played in the state All-Star game.

College

Playing

Bower started his career at the University of Georgia before transferring to Southern Miss. He started as quarterback in 1973. His career records from 1973-75 are still in the top 5 for many of the school's passing statistics, including #3 all time in passing percentage.

Coaching

Bower spent 29 years at the University of Southern Mississippi as a quarterback, assistant coach and head coach. He was quite successful, with a long career and many wins. He was named "Coach of the Decade" by Conference USA in 2004.[4]

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Southern Miss Golden Eagles (Independent) (1990–1995)
1990 Southern Miss 0–1 L All-American
1991 Southern Miss 4–7
1992 Southern Miss 7–4
1993 Southern Miss 3–7–1
1994 Southern Miss 6–5
1995 Southern Miss 6–5
Southern Miss Golden Eagles (Conference USA) (1996–2007)
1996 Southern Miss 8–3 4–1 T–1st
1997 Southern Miss 9–3 6–0 1st W Liberty 19 19
1998 Southern Miss 7–5 5–1 2nd L Humanitarian
1999 Southern Miss 9–3 6–0 1st W Liberty 13 14
2000 Southern Miss 8–4 4–3 3rd W Mobile Alabama
2001 Southern Miss 6–5 4–3 4th
2002 Southern Miss 7–6 5–4 4th L Houston
2003 Southern Miss 9–4 8–0 1st L Liberty
2004 Southern Miss 7–5 5–3 3rd W New Orleans
2005 Southern Miss 7–5 5–3 3rd (East) W New Orleans
2006 Southern Miss 9–5 6–3 1st (East) W GMAC
2007 Southern Miss 7–6 5–3 4th (East) L PapaJohns.com
Southern Miss: 119–83–1 63–24
Total: 119–83–1
#Rankings from final Coaches Poll.
°Rankings from final AP Poll.

References

  1. ↑ "WDAM: Bower quits as Southern Miss coach".
  2. ↑ "Southern Miss' Bower resigns despite 14th straight winning season".
  3. ↑ Doherty, Tim (August 26, 2007). "Master of Consistency: Mississippi's dean of coaches just keeps winning". The Clarion-Ledger (Gannett Company). Archived from the original on February 13, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Bower resigns as Southern Miss coach after 14th winning season". Associated Press. November 26, 2007. Retrieved 2009-06-09.

External links