Should BCS Schools Hire Terry Bowden?

If somebody says the last name Bowden right now, you think of Bobby Bowden possibly being forced to retire at Florida State after this season. While this is a huge news story, one of Bowden's sons is having a very successful comeback to coaching. Terry Bowden's North Alabama team is ranked number two in Division II and is 8-0 on the season and leading the Gulf South Conference. North Alabama was 12-2 last season, but lost 21 seniors and 10 starters on offense. Bowden spent the past ten years broadcasting and writing about college football and it looks like Bowden has not lost a step after being away from the game for so long. Remember that Bowden was 47-17-1 at Auburn and led them to an 11-0 record in 1993. Bowden was fired in the 1998 season after his team got off to a bad start and his teams always faced off-the-field issues. Some schools might be afraid to take a chance on Bowden, but there are plenty of schools that need Bowden.

He has been away from the game for ten years and that time away made him realize that he needs to cherish his second chance at coaching. North Alabama is not an SEC or Big 12 powerhouse, but it is a step in the right direction. West Virginia looked at Bowden before they hired Bill Stewart and some school will hire Bowden soon. Dan Hawkins is likely to get fired after the season as he has a 14-28 record at Colorado. Bowden has been a winner at every school he coached at and he could quickly turnaround a struggling Colorado program.

Kansas State would have been better off hiring Bowden over Bill Snyder and Bowden would have been more successful than Mike Sherman is currently doing at Texas A&M. Here's a great scenario to keep an eye on: South Florida is having a very strong season and coach Jim Leavitt could leave for a better program in the offseason. If Bobby Bowden stays at Florida State for another season, could you image the recruiting battles in the state of Florida if South Florida hires Terry Bowden? The younger Bowden will be back at a BCS school sometime in the next two years, I guarantee it.