Joe Bowen begins his second season as the linebackers coach for the Miami University football program, and his first as the defensive run game coordinator.
In 2022, Bowen coached a pair of linebackers that each finished in the top 15 in the country in tackles, as both Ryan McWood (135 tackles) and Matt Salopek (124 tackles) earned All-MAC recognition. Miami’s 2022 defense finished as the top ranked scoring defense and run defense in the MAC.
Bowen, a Miami graduate, served as Miami's defensive graduate assistant for the 2015-16 seasons, coaching with the defensive backs. Bowen served as an offensive intern from 2013-15 and as a student assistant from 2011-13.
Bowen previously spent the 2021 season at South Carolina as a defensive graduate assistant, coaching with the linebackers and special teams units. In Bowen's lone season at South Carolina, they led the SEC in turnovers with 24 while having the best total defense and scoring defense the school has had since 2013. The Gamecock defense finished 1st in the SEC and 7th nationally in pass yards allowed per game.
Prior to that, Bowen was a defensive analyst and defensive graduate assistant at Florida State for three seasons. Bowen coached with inside linebackers in 2018 and 2020, and moved to outside linebackers in 2019.Â
Bowen spent the 2017 season at Michigan State as a defensive graduate assistant/Assistant LB Coach. While at Michigan State, Bowen coached in a defense that finished among the best in the country with the 2nd ranked Rushing Defense, 7th ranked Total Defense, and 18th ranked 3rd Down Defense nationally. The 2017 Spartans yielded an average of only 95.31 yards per game on the ground. Â
Bowen has coached and worked with a handful of recent defensive NFL draft selections, including first round pick Brian Burns, second round pick Asante Samuel Jr., fourth round picks Janarius Robinson and Josh Kaindoh, sixth round pick Hamsah Nasirildeen and current NFL active roster linebackers Joe Bachie and Andrew Dowell.
A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Bowen graduated from Miami University in 2015 with a degree in Finance from the Farmer School of Business and a minor in coaching from the kinesiology department. He graduated with his Master's of Science degree in kinesiology and health in 2017 from Miami, with a focus on Sports Leadership and Administration. He and his wife Colette were married in February of 2021.
