The younger brother of UA head coach Terry Bowden, Jeff boasts nearly 30 years of collegiate coaching experience and will serve as the Zips' special teams coordinator and also work with the outside receivers.

He spent the previous three seasons as associate head coach and receivers coach at North Alabama with his brother, helping the program to a 29-9 record during that time and a Gulf South Conference championship in 2009. Three of his Lion receivers, Preston Parker, Mico McSwain and T.J. Porter earned All-GSC recognition. McSwain and Porter were also all-region team members and signed free agent contracts with NFL squads.  

Prior to his time at UNA, he spent 13 years (1994-2006) on the staff at Florida State, working under his father, legendary coach Bobby Bowden. Jeff was the Seminoles' offensive coordinator from 2001-06 and from 1994-2000 worked with the receivers.

In his 13 seasons at FSU, the program competed in a bowl game each year, tallied nine conference titles and one national championship (1999). A total of 21 of his charges were drafted or signed as a free agent with an NFL team, including Pro Bowlers Laveraneus Coles, Javon Walker and Anquan Boldin. He also coached consensus All-Americans Peter Warrick and Marvin Minnis, and mentored four bowl game MVPs – Andre Cooper (1996 Orange Bowl), Warrick (2000 Sugar Bowl), Walker (2002 Gator Bowl) and Willie Reid (2006 Orange Bowl).

He began his collegiate coaching career in 1983 as a receivers coach at Salem College, when Terry was hired as the head coach, and in 1985 was promoted to offensive coordinator.

In 1986, he served as graduate assistant coach at Florida State before rejoining Terry on Samford’s staff the following year. Jeff was offensive coordinator for the Bulldogs from 1987-90 and was credited with guiding the career of current Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher in his time as quarterback.

From 1991-93, Bowden served as receivers coach at Southern Mississippi before returning to Florida State in 1994.

Bowden, 52 (born Dec. 30, 1959) played wide receiver at FSU from 1980-83. He and his wife, Cindy, have five children, Haley, Hunter, T.J., Robert and Julia Elizabeth.

Bowden’s Year-By-Year Coaching Experience:
1983-84 – Salem College (receivers)
1985 – Salem College (offensive coordinator)
1986 – Florida State (graduate assistant)
1987-90 – Samford (offensive coordinator)
1991-00 – Florida State (receivers)
2001-06 – Florida State (offensive coordinator)
2009-11 – North Alabama (associate head coach / receivers)
2012- – Akron (special teams coordinator / outside receivers)