Bobby and Ann Bowden know West Virginia and West Virginia University. The “first family of football” called Morgantown home for many years and raised their children here. Four of their six children are WVU graduates. And while Coach Bowden’s illustrious career drew them south, they remember their time at WVU with great fondness.

The couple will return “home” to Morgantown as honorary parade marshals for the 2014 Homecoming festivities and lead the annual parade down High Street on Friday, Oct. 3. The pair also will be recognized during halftime festivities for the WVU-Kansas game on Saturday, Oct. 4.

Coach and Mrs. Bowden were high school sweethearts in Birmingham, Alabama, where he was a star football player at Woodlawn High School. After living out a childhood dream of playing for the University of Alabama, Bobby returned home after his freshman year to marry Ann. He transferred to Howard College (now Samford University) where he graduated in 1953.

Coach Bowden served as an assistant football coach and head track and field coach at Howard College from 1954–55 before leaving his alma mater to become athletic director, as well as head football, baseball, and basketball coach at South Georgia College. He later returning to Howard as head coach, where he compiled a 31–6 record (1959-1962). He became an assistant coach at Florida State University in 1962 under Head Coach Bill Peterson.

In 1965, Coach and Mrs. Bowden headed north to WVU where he served as an assistant under Head Coach Jim Carlen. He was named head coach of the Mountaineers in 1969 where he compiled an impressive record of 42–26 (1969-1976). The Bowden’s three oldest sons – Steve (‘74), Tommy (‘77) and Terry (‘79, ‘78) – played for their dad on the Mountaineer football team, while daughter, Robyn (‘73, ‘76) cheered from the sidelines as a WVU cheerleader.

Coach Bowden will be forever remembered for the compassion he showed Marshall University during his first year as head coach when a plane carrying Marshall’s football team and coaching staff crashed, killing everyone on board. Coach Bowden asked the NCAA permission to wear Marshall jerseys and play Marshall’s final game of the 1970 season against Ohio. The request was denied, but in memory of the victims of the crash, WVU players put green crosses and the initials “MU” on their helmets. Bowden allowed Marshall’s new head coach, Jack Lengyel, and his assistants access to game film and playbooks to acquaint themselves with the veer offense.

During her time in Morgantown, Ann became actively engaged in the community. She worked with children through local Head Start and kindergarten programs in Monongalia County. She also started one of Morgantown’s first tennis clubs.

In 1976, the Seminoles lured the Bowdens back to Tallahassee as Florida State’s head football coach, allowing the couple to be closer to family. From 1987 to 2000 the Seminoles finished every season with at least 10 wins and in the top five of the Associated Press College Football Poll. Under his leadership, the team won national championships in 1993 and 1999, as well as 12 Atlantic Coast Conference championships.

Coach Bowden – the winningest coach in the history of NCAA Division I football (377–129–4 record) – holds the NCAA record for most career wins and bowl wins by a Division I FBS coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from 1976 to 2009, including his last game as head coach during the 2010 Gator Bowl win against WVU.

Coach Bowden has received numerous awards and honors, including induction into the College Football (‘06) and Florida Sports (‘83) hall of fames, the National Football Foundation Gold Medal Award (‘06), Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year (‘80), Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award (‘08), the United States Sports Academy’s Amos Alonzo Stagg Coaching Award (11), and Children’s Champion Award for Leadership Development from the Children’s Hunger Fund, among countless others.

After moving to Tallahassee, Ann continued her commitment to service, assisting with fundraising efforts for the Easter Seals Society and working with the Florida Group Childcare organization. She also kicked off FSU’s Extra Point Club, an organization for women who follow Seminole football.

Most recently, Coach Bowden, with his son Steve, published “The Wisdom of Faith,” a book highlighting the important role faith plays in all aspects of life.

Today, Bobby and Ann enjoy spending time with their family and watching sports. They are the proud parents of four sons – Steve, Tommy, Terry and Jeff – and two daughters, Robyn and Ginger, as well as 21 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

-WVU-

tec/9.23.14

CONTACT: Tara Curtis, 304-293-0972
WVU Alumni Association, tecurtis@mail.wvu.edu

Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.