Posted on 08/08/2021 5:42:04 AM PDT by Enlightened1
Bobby Bowden, whose homespun charm and coaching savvy turned the Florida State Seminoles into a football superpower, died on Sunday morning. He was 91.
Terry Bowden, son of the legendary coach, confirmed to The Associated Press that his father died at home surrounded by family. “It was truly peaceful,” Terry Bowden said in a text message to AP.
Bowden won more major-college games than anyone except Penn State’s Joe Paterno. He retired following the 2009 season with a record of 377-129-4, but the numbers don’t reflect the impact he had on college football in general and FSU in particular.
The school was ready to drop football when Bowden arrived in 1976. He quickly transformed it into a football brand name with appeal far beyond Tallahassee.
Bowden was a combination coach, preacher and public-relations guru. As college football exploded into a multibillion-dollar business, Bowden’s folksy demeanor put a spell on recruits, fans and even the dadgum media.
Dadgum.
That was Bowden’s go-to expression and as salty a term as his Baptist tongue would allow him to speak. He was unique, unassuming and probably the only major-college coach in America who had his name listed in the local phone book.
Bowden and his wife, Ann, had six children and spawned a coaching tree. Tommy was head coach at Tulane and Clemson while Terry coached Auburn and Akron.
Bowden was born in Birmingham, Alabama, at the dawn of the Great Depression. His father, Bob, was a bank teller and managed to keep the family in its home, which was located just over some bushes from Woodlawn High School.
Bob Bowden would sit on the roof with his son and watch football practice in the afternoons. Bobby grew into a fast, mischievous kid.
(Excerpt) Read more at orlandosentinel.com ...
My beloved Huskers had some great battles against FSU with Bowden at the helm. He was a great coach and a class act.
RIP Coach. Godspeed from Husker Land.
RIP.
Gonna have one helluva coaching staff Up There! Bobby, say hello to Knute, George, Evy, Vince, Bo, Woody, Ara, Bear, Darrell, Bud and all the rest. RIP coach Bowden...job well done.
Prayers to his family...
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