Bowers 'Honored' to Be Back in the Bay as USF's New D-Line Coach
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, JAN. 23, 2020 – Former Buccaneer
Da'Quan Bowers is happy to be back in the Bay with the Bulls on
Jeff Scott's new USF football staff.
Nearly five years after his final snap at Raymond James Stadium, Bowers will return to his old stomping grounds during the 2020 season as an ambitious, first-year defensive line coach with great expectations for himself, his players and the USF program in general.
"I'm looking forward to bringing a championship here," he said. "That's what Coach Scott's dream is and that's what our dream is – to mold these young men and make them champions."
Personally, things seem to be shaping up well for Bowers' second career in the sport he's well-prepared for.
Selected in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft, Bowers played five seasons on the Bucs' defensive line (2011-15) following his All-American junior campaign at Clemson in 2010. Ironically, Bowers and the Tigers ended that season with a
31-26 loss to USF in the 2010 Meineke Car Care Bowl.
Bowers, who totaled six tackles (one TFL) against the Bulls, stopped in his tracks last week when he saw an iconic photo of that game on the way up to the football offices inside USF's Selmon Athletics Center.
"That was my last game as a Clemson Tiger and here I am, joining this staff 10 years later," he said. "It's full circle."
Prior to beginning the second phase of his football career, Bowers shined in his final playing season, posting 7.0 sacks for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League in 2017. Once he hung up his helmet, Bowers returned to Clemson as an undergraduate coach who worked with defensive linemen from 2018-19.
Serving on the same staff as co-offensive coordinator Scott, Bowers learned a lot about the coaching craft while helping the Tigers win a national title in 2018 and return to the College Football Playoff Championship Game this past season.
"You go from being a guy that's getting all the coaching and getting the game plan to the guy that's creating the game plan. You learn to respect the amount of time these coaches put into this," Bowers said. "I had no clue until about two-and-a-half years ago. It was eye-opening my first couple weeks on the job. Now it's second nature and I love the grind."
Bowers officially got the chance to grind full-time by earning his bachelor's degree in parks, recreation and tourism management in December 2019. Fulfilling a promise Bowers made to finish what he started at Clemson is something he takes great pride in.
"It was extremely important," he said. "I had a very good career in the NFL and CFL. I was blessed to make decent money, but what I wanted to do long-term, which is coach football, I wouldn't be able to do that without the degree."
It didn't take long for Bowers to reap the rewards of his rededication to the classroom. Soon after being named USF's new head coach, Scott offered an exciting coaching opportunity to a Tiger he's known since his graduate assistant season with Clemson in 2008.
"He asked me how I felt about joining the staff. He told me to think about it and talk it over with my wife," Bowers said. "I knew the answer when he asked me, but I told him I would. I knew that I'd be honored and grateful to get back to Tampa and be a part of something special down here with USF football. I'm glad to be here."
Bowers Ready to Make an Impact
Fresh off the Tigers' latest national championship game appearance, Bowers constantly sported a big smile during his first days back in the Bay last week.
"Tampa is an amazing city with great people, a great community," he said. "I'm looking forward to helping this football program achieve its goals and getting back to being a part of this community."
This week, Bowers is busy buzzing around the Bay and beyond on the recruiting trail for USF ahead of National Signing Day on Wednesday, Feb. 5. Once the 2020 class has been finalized, Bowers looks forward to putting his coaching philosophy to good use with new and returning Bulls.
"I just want to be the best I can for my players, whether that's academically, on the field, mentally, emotionally. I just want to give them my best," he said. "It's my job to serve their hearts, not their talents. Whether they're the five-star we've been trying to get, or whether they're a walk-on, I'm gonna coach them all the same and love them all the same. It's my job to get them to be the best men they can be."
With Scott's
solid staff in place, the future looks promising for USF football and Bowers can't wait to bring his coaching tools to the table when the Bulls begin spring ball in March.
"I think it's gonna be a new start of something special here at USF. I'm looking forward to doing something with these 'Roaring 20s' that just came in," he said. "Hopefully this is the most special time USF has ever had. I'm glad to be a part of the staff and I'm confident in Coach Scott and his leadership. I'm ready to get to work."
About USF Football
The USF football program first took the field in 1997 and just completed its 23rd season (20th at the FBS level) in 2019. The Bulls have posted 15 winning seasons, earned 14 All-America selections and 29 first-team all-conference selections and have seen 30 players selected in the NFL Draft. USF has made 10 bowl games appearances (going 6-4 in those games) and posted a program record six straight appearances from 2005-2010. The Bulls most recently made four straight bowl appearances from 2015-18 and posted back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2016 and 2017, logging a program-record 11-2 mark in 2016 while finishing both seasons ranked in the Top 25. USF spent a program record 20 straight weeks ranked in the Top 25 during the 2016 and 2017 seasons and reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings during the 2007 season.
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