Who was Bobby Bowden? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Robert Cleckler Bowden

Died At Age: 91

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Ann Estock (m. 1949)

father: Bob Bowden

mother: Sunset (née Cleckler ) Bowden

children: Tommy Bowden Terry Bowden Jeff Bowden

Born Country: United States

Coaches American Men

Died on: August 8, 2021

place of death: Tallahassee, Florida

U.S. State: Alabama

More Facts

education: University of Alabama (1953) Woodlawn High School Samford University

awards: 1980 - Bobby Dodd COY
1991 - Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award
2011 - Amos Alonzo Stagg Award for his outstanding achievement as a coach

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1

When did Bobby Bowden start coaching at Florida State University?

Bobby Bowden started coaching at Florida State University in 1976.
2

How many national championships did Bobby Bowden win with Florida State University?

Bobby Bowden won two national championships with Florida State University, in 1993 and 1999.
3

What was Bobby Bowden's coaching record at Florida State University?

Bobby Bowden's coaching record at Florida State University was 304 wins, 97 losses, and 4 ties.
4

What is Bobby Bowden known for in college football?

Bobby Bowden is known for building Florida State University's football program into a national powerhouse and for his innovative offensive strategies.
5

What is Bobby Bowden's coaching legacy in college football?

Bobby Bowden's coaching legacy in college football includes being one of the winningest coaches in the history of the sport and revolutionizing the game with his aggressive and high-scoring offensive approach.

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Childhood & Early Life

Bobby Bowden was born to Bob Bowden and Sunset Bowden. He was just 13, when he was diagnosed with rheumatic fever and had to spend six months in the hospital.

After being discharged he was not allowed to go anywhere for nearly a year and it was around this time he got used to listening to University of Alabama football on Saturday mornings on the radio and developed an interest in the sport.

He attended the Woodlawn High School and was among one of the best football players in his school. He also played for the University of Alabama as a quarterback.

He graduated in 1953, from the Howard College, present day Samford University.

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Career

From 1954 to 1955, Bowden served as the assistant football coach and head track and field coach at the Howard College Birmingham, Alabama.

He then became the Athletic Director and also served as the head football, baseball, and basketball coach for South Georgia College from 1956 to 1958.

After leaving South Georgia College he returned to Howard Collage and stayed there till 1962, before joining the Florida State University as an assistant coach.

He left the Florida State University in 1965 to coach at the West Virginia University and became its head coach in 1969. In 1976, he joined the Florida State University again as the head coach.

He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team for 34 years in which he lost only one season. On December 1, 2009, he announced his retirement from the Florida State University.

Awards & Achievements

From 1987 to 2000, under his coaching the Florida State University’s (FSU) football team finished every season with at least 10 wins and was constantly among top five teams in the Associated Press College Football Poll.

He held the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) record of 11 consecutive bowl victories and 14 straight bowl trips without a loss.

The FSU also won the 1993 and 1999 national championships while Bowden coached them.

His overall record at the FSU is 300-87-4 which includes a 158-27-2 record in Tallahassee, 35-10-1 record at neutral sites and 107-50-1 on an opponent's ground.

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For his outstanding achievement as a coach, Bowden received the ‘Amos Alonzo Stagg Coaching Award’ from the ‘United States Sports Academy’.

In 2011, he was awarded the ‘Children's Champion Award for Leadership Development’ by the Children's Hunger Fund, a charitable organization, in recognition of his humanitarian work.

Personal Life, Legacy & Death

Bowden married his childhood sweetheart Ann Estock, on April 1, 1949. They had six children and 21 grandchildren.

Like Bowden, his sons Tommy and Terry have coached at college level football. Tommy served as the head coach at the Clemson University, whereas Terry was the head coach of the Auburn University’s football team.

The Over the Mountain Touchdown Club of Birmingham, Alabama, named the National Collegiate Coach of the Year Award after him and on March 21, 2010, the award was presented for the first time.

‘The Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ presents an annual ‘The National Bobby Bowden Award’ to one football player.

On July 23, 2021, Bowden was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Bobby Bowden died on August 8, 2021, at the age of 91.

Facts About Bobby Bowden

Bobby Bowden holds the record for the most wins by a coach in Florida State University football history, with an impressive 304 wins.

He was known for his signature bowtie and charismatic personality, endearing him to fans and players alike.

Bowden was a devout Christian who often credited his faith for his success on and off the field.

He was a pioneer in developing a fast-paced, high-scoring offensive style that revolutionized college football in the 1980s and 1990s.

Bowden's coaching tree includes many successful coaches who went on to have their own successful careers, highlighting his impact and influence on the game of football.

Bobby Bowden Biography

You wanted to know

When did Bobby Bowden start coaching at Florida State University?

How many national championships did Bobby Bowden win with Florida State University?

What was Bobby Bowden's coaching record at Florida State University?

What is Bobby Bowden known for in college football?

What is Bobby Bowden's coaching legacy in college football?