Terry Bowden to become UNA's head football coach

[BamaFanInTally]

TB will do just fine. He's the most talented coach of the Bowden boys, from an X's and O's standpoint. His downfall at the Barn was due to his inability to recruit, along with fiding out the "state secrets", inside workings of the shady boosters at the Barn, especially with Bobby Lowder. What he needs to do is get a good recruiter on his staff.

 

[Ken_M]

I'm a UNA grad and new Sportsman's club member...gotta get my tickets. I'm not disappointed by this hire. I look forward to what he'll be able to do here at UNA. So far, he' saying the right things (check out today's print Times Daily). I have to say I wasn't a fan when he was down at AU, but that's all in the past. :biggrin:

However, I don't see him being here more than 5 years. He's been saying he wants to get back into coaching and he may use his (we assume) success here at UNA to springboard back into D1. With that, I say bring it on! Now that my family has moved back to the Shoals, I'd love to see UNA win more D2 titles.

Ironically, Terry's latest article on rivals.com is titled "Lower Divisions Prove Value of Playoff". Link here: Rivals.com College Football - Bowden: Lower divisions prove value of playoff

 

[BamaGoose]

TB will do just fine. He's the most talented coach of the Bowden boys, from an X's and O's standpoint. His downfall at the Barn was due to his inability to recruit, along with fiding out the "state secrets", inside workings of the shady boosters at the Barn, especially with Bobby Lowder. What he needs to do is get a good recruiter on his staff.

Shouldn't have to recruit well to win? I am confused by your post. I would say there is a reason why Tator has been out of coaching football. Maybe he isn't thought as highly as you seem to have him. Not flaming just stating the obvious.

 

[TiderMan]

I think it is a pretty good hire for UNA. He was 46-16-1 at Auburn and the only bad season that he had was 1998 when he was told he was going to be fired at the end of the season after like a 1-6 start to the season. He was 3-2 against Bama and won the west in 1997. As far as recuiting goes, Auburn won the SEC west again in 2000 with alot of his recruits. He helped turn the Auburn program around after Pat Dye resigned. You may not like him personally but he is a good coach.

 

[UAME]

Tater Tot was the color commentator for the radio broadcast of the Div II Championship game this year. I wonder if that visit to Florence helped to generate mutual interest between TB and UNA?

 

[Tideski]

Tater Tot was the color commentator for the radio broadcast of the Div II Championship game this year. I wonder if that visit to Florence helped to generate mutual interest between TB and UNA?

Him doing the color may have had something to do with him coming...Don't forget- Daddy Bowden has a Def. Cord. named Mickey Andrews that was at one time the Head Coach at tUNA (FSU at that time). May possibly be a connection there as well.

 

[whitman]

Don't forget that he took Samford to the semi-finals of the 1-AA playoffs. Had a good record there too.

 

[BamaNation]

Tater Tot was the color commentator for the radio broadcast of the Div II Championship game this year. I wonder if that visit to Florence helped to generate mutual interest between TB and UNA?

Yes:

Ironically, Bowden became interested in the UNA job when he was in Florence broadcasting the Division II National Championship Game on Dec. 13. That same day, Hudspeth resigned at UNA.

"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.

"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."

Bowden to coach football for UNA | TimesDaily.com | The Times Daily | Florence, AL

Being a Florence native myself (and with everyone else in my immediate and extended family being UNA grads), on the one hand I'm glad they hired him. I think he will be very successful - in recruiting, putting fannies in the seats, and overall record. However, my concern is twofold: 1) that he's eying a bigger prize and may take his eye off the immediate task at hand; and 2) that whatever personal demons have kept him out of football for 10 years prevent him from being the coach that he once was.

Florence is a beautiful place and a great place to raise a family. UNA is an incredibly beautiful campus with a growing student population. Obviously the level of football played in the GSC is the D-II equivalent to the SEC.

 

[rolltidescott]

Florence is a beautiful place and a great place to raise a family. UNA is an incredibly beautiful campus with a growing student population. Obviously the level of football played in the GSC is the D-II equivalent to the SEC.

I certainly agree with you on that.

 

[Lions]

I guess those who don't have dealings on an academic level or aren't geographically near the college don't share the same disdain for it that I do. It seems that the culture surrounding UNA has a very "snooty" attitude toward other colleges in the state, Alabama in particular (and I can't understand why--they have nothing to offer that the Capstone hasn't already topped). Any college whose crowd (what little there is) cheers when the Crimson Tide is announced as losing (this includes UAB, too) is, in my view, an enemy of the University of Alabama and, since I graduated from UA, an enemy of mine.

I don't post here very often. I mostly just read, but I could not pass up an opportunity to respond to this. Alabama has a huge following on the campus of UNA. I think UAB is an old rival from their DII days, as is Troy. I support both UAB and Troy football programs. The home stands at Braly are normally full, its the away side that does not have very many. I can't blame the folks from Arkanas driving all that way to see their team get spank by 50 points. Anyway, Im at senior at UNA, and I love our program just as i do Bama. I hope Coach Bowden can win us that championship. We've been so close, so many times. I was hoping this year both Bama and UNA could win it all. What a great time that would have been.

 

[RedStar]

I guess those who don't have dealings on an academic level or aren't geographically near the college don't share the same disdain for it that I do. It seems that the culture surrounding UNA has a very "snooty" attitude toward other colleges in the state, Alabama in particular (and I can't understand why--they have nothing to offer that the Capstone hasn't already topped). Any college whose crowd (what little there is) cheers when the Crimson Tide is announced as losing (this includes UAB, too) is, in my view, an enemy of the University of Alabama and, since I graduated from UA, an enemy of mine.

I went to many, many games during my time at UNA and I have no idea what you're talking about. The crowd usually cheers when they hear Alabama is winning. You'll usually find just as much Bama apparel in the stands as you will UNA. Maybe 1% of UNA fans are true "fans" in that sense of the word. We're fans because we go there, or live there, but not because they're our favorite team. It's probably 60% Bama, 40% Auburn, just like it is anywhere in the state. But we root for UNA for the reasons I said above. Do we want to see UNA do well and win? Of course, but it's easy to want those things when they don't conflict with our true allegiances.

As far as being "Snooty," UNA is traditionally a teachers college, with the College of Education currently being one of the main focuses of the University. How a traditional teachers college can come off as "snooty" is beyond me. The only thing UNA has on UA is the Geography Department. UNA is usually ranked as a top 5 destination for students pursuing undergraduate work in this field.

I don't know where your hate for UNA comes from, but at least you seem to be the only one who has it.

As for Bowden, it's a tremendous hire for UNA. He's a big name and it's helped us receive national attention over the last 24 hours. Everyone knows it's not a permanent destination for him, but no DII school ever is, and that's ok. We couldn't have gotten a bigger name, and I'd be surprised if we ever did.

 

[Tide n True]

I went to many, many games during my time at UNA and I have no idea what you're talking about. The crowd usually cheers when they hear Alabama is winning. You'll usually find just as much Bama apparel in the stands as you will UNA. Maybe 1% of UNA fans are true "fans" in that sense of the word. We're fans because we go there, or live there, but not because they're our favorite team. It's probably 60% Bama, 40% Auburn, just like it is anywhere in the state. But we root for UNA for the reasons I said above. Do we want to see UNA do well and win? Of course, but it's easy to want those things when they don't conflict with our true allegiances.

As far as being "Snooty," UNA is traditionally a teachers college, with the College of Education currently being one of the main focuses of the University. How a traditional teachers college can come off as "snooty" is beyond me. The only thing UNA has on UA is the Geography Department. UNA is usually ranked as a top 5 destination for students pursuing undergraduate work in this field.

I don't know where your hate for UNA comes from, but at least you seem to be the only one who has it.

As for Bowden, it's a tremendous hire for UNA. He's a big name and it's helped us receive national attention over the last 24 hours. Everyone knows it's not a permanent destination for him, but no DII school ever is, and that's ok. We couldn't have gotten a bigger name, and I'd be surprised if we ever did.

I've had many dealings with UNA, specifically the College of Education and Music Department. Behind the scenes, noses are upturned at Alabama, as if somehow it is a worse institution. The "look" I get when I tell various people that I graduated from UA says a lot. I've actually been involved in a few heated arguments because someone in an academic position was bashing Alabama, not knowing that I graduated from there. I'm not going to call names. As far as "booing" Alabama goes or "cheering" their loss, I always go to one UNA game per year for free. The same is true for UAB. I have been to multiple games at both schools when Alabama was losing and the crowd went wild.

I'm also from the area. Maybe my experience and your experience are different, but I simply don't care for them at all, specifically because of the reaction toward Alabama I've personally witnessed at various levels.

 

[RedStar]

I've had many dealings with UNA, specifically the College of Education and Music Departments. Behind the scenes, noses are upturned at Alabama, as if somehow it is a worse institution. I'm not going to call names. As far as "booing" Alabama goes or "cheering" their loss, I always go to one UNA game per year for free. The same is true for UAB. I have been to multiple games at both schools when Alabama was losing and the crowd went wild.

I'm also from the area. Maybe my experience and your experience are different, but I simply don't care for them at all, specifically because of the reaction toward Alabama I've personally witnessed at various levels.

So because some rich higher-ups, or people who run certain departments within the university might not like Alabama, you make a sweeping generalization about people who follow UNA football? I don't get it.

Also you are still the only person to say that UNA fans boo Alabama when the scores are announced at games. Many people on this board have stated otherwise, as have I.

 

[rolltidescott]

So because some rich higher-ups, or people who run certain departments within the university might not like Alabama, you make a sweeping generalization about people who follow UNA football? I don't get it.

Also you are still the only person to say that UNA fans boo Alabama when the scores are announced at games. Many people on this board have stated otherwise, as have I.

It has been my experience that while it certainly supports UNA, Florence (and the surrounding area) is VERY pro-Bama.

 

[Ldlane]

Got to say that I think Terry is a better coach than any of his brothers. But we will see.

 

[Tide n True]

So because some rich higher-ups, or people who run certain departments within the university might not like Alabama, you make a sweeping generalization about people who follow UNA football? I don't get it.

Also you are still the only person to say that UNA fans boo Alabama when the scores are announced at games. Many people on this board have stated otherwise, as have I.

No, I didn't make a generalization about the people who follow UNA football--except those 10 or 15 people who actually went to the games that I attended a few years back and cheered when AL was losing. I've got several friends who go to UNA. I simply don't like the school.

 

[BigAl5833]

Maybe you were mistaken and went to a practice? I have yet to go to a una game and the home side not be close to full. And the whole cheering when Alabama is losing, perhaps you are hearing the few barners that are there. If they were to announce that the cow college was losing you would hear the same thing.

 

[Ldlane]

Why should UNA students cheer for either Alabama or Auburn? They go to UNA! Granted not everyone is a fan of their school. I mean I grew up a Tide fan, but went to FSU. Maybe they are going to the school that they want to go to.

 

[Tide n True]

Maybe you were mistaken and went to a practice? I have yet to go to a una game and the home side not be close to full. And the whole cheering when Alabama is losing, perhaps you are hearing the few barners that are there. If they were to announce that the cow college was losing you would hear the same thing.

I've been pretty drunk in my younger days, but believe me, I know the difference between a game and a practice. And of course I'm exaggerating when I say "10 or 15" fans.

As far as the Barn losing thing...you may be right. Of course, I haven't noticed and generally don't keep track of it when it comes to the Barn.

 

[BamaBeta]

This is too good.