Terry Bowden Terry Bowden ( born February 24 , 1956 ) is the head football coach at the University of Akron . Bowden was previously head coach at Salem University ( 1983 – 1985 ) , Samford University ( 1987 – 1992 ) , Auburn University ( 1993 – 1998 ) , and the University of North Alabama ( 2009 – 2011 ) . Bowden is the son of former Florida State University head football coach Bobby Bowden . He is the brother of Tommy Bowden , former head football coach at Clemson University , and Jeff Bowden , the former offensive coordinator at Florida State who serves as Terry ' s special teams coordinator at Akron . Education . Bowden attended and played football for West Virginia University , where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity , and graduated " magna cum laude " with a degree in accounting . His father , Bobby Bowden , was the Mountaineers ' head coach until 1975 , and Bowden lettered twice as a running back for his father ' s successor , Frank Cignetti , Sr . In addition to his post - graduate work at Oxford University in England , Bowden also received his Juris Doctor degree from Florida State University College of Law . Career . Terry Bowden began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Florida State before becoming the nation ' s youngest head coach at age 26 when he accepted the position at Salem College in 1983 . While at Salem , he won two West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles . In 1986 , Bowden left to be an assistant coach at The University of Akron for Gerry Faust . In 1987 , Bowden became the head coach at Samford University , a school where his father played and coached . At Samford , Bowden directed the program ' s move from Division III football to Division I - AA scholarship football . In 1991 , Bowden ' s Samford team reached the I - AA semifinals . Auburn University . In 1992 , Bowden was hired to succeed Pat Dye as the head football coach at Auburn University . Bowden ' s hiring occurred while the program faced NCAA sanctions , which included scholarship reductions , a one - year television ban , and a two - year postseason ban . During his first year at Auburn , Bowden led the Tigers to a perfect 11 – 0 season , becoming the first coach to go undefeated in his debut season at a Division I school . In 1994 , Auburn finished 9 – 1 – 1 , establishing the longest winning streak in school history at 20 games . In 1997 , Auburn reached the SEC Championship Game , where they held as much as a 20 – 7 lead , but lost after they gave up a last minute , 73 - yard touchdown pass by Peyton Manning of the Tennessee Volunteers . In 1998 . Bowden ' s fate at Auburn changed as he faced criticism for recruiting woes , off - the - field issues that resulted in player discipline , and in his relationships with Auburn administrators , including board of trustees member Bobby Lowder . These issues , combined with a string of player injuries , led to a disastrous start of the 1998 season . After starting with a 1 – 5 record , Bowden resigned as head coach the night before Auburn played against Louisiana Tech . In conversations with athletic director David Housel , Bowden was given no assurances he would have a chance to remedy the situation for the next season , and that he believed his termination was imminent . The team was coached for the remainder of the season by Bill Oliver . Broadcasting career . After resigning at Auburn , Bowden accepted a role as a studio analyst and color commentator for ABC Sports ' college football coverage where he often referred to his father Bobby Bowden as " Daddy " . He was also an exclusive college football columnist for Yahoo ! Sports . For a period , Bowden also hosted a sports talk radio show in the Orlando , Florida area . In 2006 , Bowden became the expert analyst for Westwood One radio network ' s College Football National Game of Week . He also co - hosted " The Coaches Show " on Sirius Satellite Radio with Jack Arute and worked several times a month as a motivational speaker . In a July 30 , 2007 column , writing a few weeks before the 2007 college football season , Bowden said he was eager to go back to coaching for the 2008 football season . In December 2007 , the coaching job at his alma mater West Virginia opened up : Rich Rodriguez left to be Michigan ' s coach . Bowden issued a statement which read in part , " Coming home to West Virginia would obviously be the dream job for me . " However , West Virginia offered the job to one of Rodriguez ' s assistants , Bill Stewart , who was the interim head coach when the Mountaineers upset the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl . In late 2007 , Bowden interviewed for the head coaching job at Georgia Tech , which ultimately went to Paul Johnson . Bowden returned to the broadcasting booth for the 2008 season . At the end of the year , Bowden took the head coach position at a Division II school , North Alabama . North Alabama . On December 31 , 2008 it was announced that he would be the next head football coach at the University of North Alabama in Florence . He was officially introduced as the head football coach at the University Center on January 1 , 2009 . Bowden was tapped to replace Mark Hudspeth , who left after directing the Lions to a 66 – 21 record and a third berth in seven years in the national playoff semifinals to become the passing game coordinator at Mississippi State University under new head coach Dan Mullen . During Bowden ' s tenure at North Alabama he guided the Lions to three appearances in the NCAA Div II Tournament . Akron . On December 22 , 2011 , it was announced Bowden would be hired as the next head football coach at the University of Akron , and he was formally introduced on December 28 , 2011 . He replaced Rob Ianello as the Zips ' head coach , who was fired on November 26 after compiling a 2 – 22 record in two seasons . In his first year Bowden duplicated Ianello ' s 1 - 11 record from 2011 . Coaching tree . While at Salem and Samford , Bowden coached quarterback Jimbo Fisher to an NCAA Division III National Player of the Year award . Fisher later became quarterbacks coach for Bowden at Auburn , and after much success as the offensive coordinator for LSU , Fisher succeeded Bowden ' s father as head coach at Florida State . Two quarterbacks from Bowden ' s time at Auburn have been successful in their coaching careers . Patrick Nix has been the offensive coordinator for Georgia Tech and Miami ( FL ) and Dameyune Craig was the quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator at Florida State under Coach Fisher . He is currently the Co - Offensive Coordinator and Wide Receivers coach for Auburn University .