Football
Bowers, Chris
Chris Bowers
- Title:
- Defensive Coordinator
RECRUITING AREAS:Â New England, Kentucky, Southern Ohio
Chris Bowers, a veteran collegiate coach who spent 12 seasons with FBS program Northwestern University, was named the Bucknell football team's defensive coordinator in February 2022.
Bowers spent the past three seasons as the defensive coordinator at Eastern Illinois University, where he mentored four freshman All-Americans. During his final season in Charleston, Ill., the Panthers placed eighth in the FCS in passing defense (171.5) and had five defensive players earn All-Ohio Valley Conference accolades. Linebacker Jason Johnson, a two-time First Team honoree, led the FCS in fumble recoveries (4) and finished tied for ninth in solo tackles per game (5.7).
Eastern Illinois was among the Ohio Valley Conference's top defenses in 2021, finishing first in passing defense, tackles for a loss, sacks and fumbles recovered and second in total defense and red zone defense. In 2019, Bowers's first campaign in Charleston, the program was the second-most-improved defense in the FCS ranks.
Before his time with the Panthers, Bowers was the head of recruiting and director of player personnel at Northwestern from 2011 to 2018. There, he helped build the roster that won the 2018 Big Ten Conference West Division title and was ranked No. 1 in the FBS in graduate success rate.
In addition, the Wildcats won 40 games over four seasons, a program record. They played in six different bowl games during Bowers's time with the program: the 2011 Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas, the 2013 TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl, the 2016 Outback Bowl, the 2016 Pinstripe Bowl, the 2017 Music City Bowl and the 2018 Holiday Bowl.
While at Northwestern, Bowers was a finalist for the 2016 FootballScoop.com Director of Player Personnel of the Year award. He helped recruit Rashawn Slater and Greg Newsome II, the program's first NFL first-round draft picks since 2005. In total, 16 Wildcats he recruited are currently on NFL active rosters.
Before spending the spring of 2011 at Valparaiso University as a special teams coordinator and secondary coach, Bowers served as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Concord University during the 2010 and 2009 campaigns. He mentored seven all-conference selections who helped the Mountain Lions finish 10th among NCAA Division II programs with 31 takeaways. Notably, Concord went from 0-11 in 2008 to 6-5 in 2009, its first winning season in 11 years. The next season, the Mountain Lions posted an 8-3 record, the program's best since 1991.
From 2007 to 2008, Bowers was the defensive coordinator, recruiting coordinator and secondary coach at Defiance College. There, he worked with five all-league honorees who were key pieces of a defense that allowed just 20.4 points and 327 yards per game during his time with the Yellow Jackets.
Bowers's first stint at Northwestern came in the early 2000s, when he served as an assistant director of football operations (2003-04) and as a defensive graduate assistant (2005-06). He worked closely with linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator Pat Fitzgerald, now Northwestern's head coach. In 2005, the Wildcats signed one of their top recruiting classes at the time, a group that featured seven players who went on to compete at the professional level. They also played in the 2003 Motor City Bowl and the 2005 Vitalis Sun Bowl.
Bowers first broke into the coaching ranks at the University of Findlay as a defensive assistant coach (2002) and graduate assistant coach (2001). He earned his bachelor's degree in history from Wittenberg University in 1999 and his master's degree in education from Findlay in 2003.
Off the field, Bowers was published in the Manual of Football Drills and Skills, a resource for coaches which benefits Lauren's First and Goal Foundation. The organization was established in 2004 by John and Marianne Loose in honor of their daughter Lauren, a pediatric brain tumor survivor. It has raised more than $1 million in financial support for brain tumor research and cancer services.
Bowers and his wife, Christina, have two children: Davalyn and Joe.
Chris Bowers, a veteran collegiate coach who spent 12 seasons with FBS program Northwestern University, was named the Bucknell football team's defensive coordinator in February 2022.
Bowers spent the past three seasons as the defensive coordinator at Eastern Illinois University, where he mentored four freshman All-Americans. During his final season in Charleston, Ill., the Panthers placed eighth in the FCS in passing defense (171.5) and had five defensive players earn All-Ohio Valley Conference accolades. Linebacker Jason Johnson, a two-time First Team honoree, led the FCS in fumble recoveries (4) and finished tied for ninth in solo tackles per game (5.7).
Eastern Illinois was among the Ohio Valley Conference's top defenses in 2021, finishing first in passing defense, tackles for a loss, sacks and fumbles recovered and second in total defense and red zone defense. In 2019, Bowers's first campaign in Charleston, the program was the second-most-improved defense in the FCS ranks.
Before his time with the Panthers, Bowers was the head of recruiting and director of player personnel at Northwestern from 2011 to 2018. There, he helped build the roster that won the 2018 Big Ten Conference West Division title and was ranked No. 1 in the FBS in graduate success rate.
In addition, the Wildcats won 40 games over four seasons, a program record. They played in six different bowl games during Bowers's time with the program: the 2011 Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas, the 2013 TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl, the 2016 Outback Bowl, the 2016 Pinstripe Bowl, the 2017 Music City Bowl and the 2018 Holiday Bowl.
While at Northwestern, Bowers was a finalist for the 2016 FootballScoop.com Director of Player Personnel of the Year award. He helped recruit Rashawn Slater and Greg Newsome II, the program's first NFL first-round draft picks since 2005. In total, 16 Wildcats he recruited are currently on NFL active rosters.
Before spending the spring of 2011 at Valparaiso University as a special teams coordinator and secondary coach, Bowers served as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Concord University during the 2010 and 2009 campaigns. He mentored seven all-conference selections who helped the Mountain Lions finish 10th among NCAA Division II programs with 31 takeaways. Notably, Concord went from 0-11 in 2008 to 6-5 in 2009, its first winning season in 11 years. The next season, the Mountain Lions posted an 8-3 record, the program's best since 1991.
From 2007 to 2008, Bowers was the defensive coordinator, recruiting coordinator and secondary coach at Defiance College. There, he worked with five all-league honorees who were key pieces of a defense that allowed just 20.4 points and 327 yards per game during his time with the Yellow Jackets.
Bowers's first stint at Northwestern came in the early 2000s, when he served as an assistant director of football operations (2003-04) and as a defensive graduate assistant (2005-06). He worked closely with linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator Pat Fitzgerald, now Northwestern's head coach. In 2005, the Wildcats signed one of their top recruiting classes at the time, a group that featured seven players who went on to compete at the professional level. They also played in the 2003 Motor City Bowl and the 2005 Vitalis Sun Bowl.
Bowers first broke into the coaching ranks at the University of Findlay as a defensive assistant coach (2002) and graduate assistant coach (2001). He earned his bachelor's degree in history from Wittenberg University in 1999 and his master's degree in education from Findlay in 2003.
Off the field, Bowers was published in the Manual of Football Drills and Skills, a resource for coaches which benefits Lauren's First and Goal Foundation. The organization was established in 2004 by John and Marianne Loose in honor of their daughter Lauren, a pediatric brain tumor survivor. It has raised more than $1 million in financial support for brain tumor research and cancer services.
Bowers and his wife, Christina, have two children: Davalyn and Joe.
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