John Bowers - Football Coach - James Madison University Athletics

John Bowers

Title:
Asst. Head Coach/Outside Linebackers/Recruiting Coordinator
Email:
bowersjw@jmu.edu
Phone:
540-568-3699
Physical Address:
Plecker APC 222 (220 Champions Dr.) / MSC 2201

John Bowers was hired at James Madison University on January 6, 2014, and has coached on both sides of the ball, as well as special teams. He currently serves as the outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator, while previously coaching the tight ends in his first season.

Bowers also served a brief role as JMU football's director of player personnel from January 7, 2016 until Mike Houston tabbed him to continue his role as an outside linebackers coach on Jan. 29. During the interim, Bowers worked with JMU’s current football student-athletes during the transition of coaching staffs and was the primary point of contact for prospective student-athletes who were recruited by the previous staff.

With more than 30 years of coaching experience, Bowers returned to the Shenandoah Valley in January 2014 where he was a standout player for the Dukes in the early years, serving as the team captain for two seasons under then-head coach Challace McMillian.

He was named the team's offensive MVP in 1977 and earned the Bob Yetzer Leadership Award in 1978. A three-year letterwinner at JMU, he led the team in scoring in 1977 with seven touchdowns and posted a 13-7 record as the quarterback his final two years.

This past season, he coached one of his outside linebackers to All-America status in Andrew Ankrah. Ankrah was named a STATS FCS Second Team All-American and First Team All-CAA linebacker after ranking in the top 10 nationally in forced fumbles (5) and sacks (10.5). He tallied 56 tackles and 11.0 tackles for loss while also adding a fumble recovery in his first season at the position.

In 2014, Bowers worked with the tight ends, a unit that made 55 receptions for 648 yards and two touchdowns while also blocking for the league's second-ranked rushing offense. In addition, all three tight ends who made receiving contributions, averaged a collective 11.8 yards per reception.

Prior to his return to JMU, he was a recruiting assistant at Ohio State for the 2013 season and had previously been an assistant coach at Bothell High School in Washington. He has spent his coaching career at both the high school and college ranks, including collegiate stints at Western Washington, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Eastern Illinois, Illinois State, Austin Peay, Shepherd College and Washington & Lee.

A native of Hagerstown, Md., Bowers lettered in both football and baseball at JMU and graduated with his bachelor’s degree in 1979. He also earned his master’s in education in 1980 after serving as a graduate assistant coach with the football program.

He is married to Joanne, who is in herninth season as head coach of the University of Washington’s nationally-ranked women’s gymnastics team, and they have two sons, David and Ross. Ross, a four-star ESPN recruit, is a freshman quarterback at Cal.