Lincoln Riley, Big 12 Coaches React to Bobby Bowden’s Passing
News broke over the weekend that longtime Florida State and former West Virginia head coach Bobby Bowden had passed away.
Bowden was the second winningest coach of all-time and had an impact on so many across college football. In the wake of his passing, several current and former Big 12 coaches reacted on social media. Here’s what some of them had to say.
Gary Patterson reteweeted this story from his wife.
Bowden had been battling a terminal medical condition since July. He did not disclose what the condition was at the time, although his son Terry later told reporters that it was pancreatic cancer.
From 1954 to 1965 he spent time coaching at Samford, South Georgia State and Florida State (as a WR coach), before spending the next ten seasons at West Virginia as the offensive coordinator (1966-1969) and then he was named head coach in 1970, and had a 42-26 record with the Mountaineers. In 1976, he took the Florida State job, which he held until 2009.
Bowden and Penn State coach Joe Paterno rank No. 1 and 2 on the winningest coaches list. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
Bowden and his wife had six children, including two college football coaches, former Clemson coach Tommy Bowden and former Auburn coach Terry.
Bowden was 91 years old.
