USF Athletics

'Blessed' Bowers Back in the Bay to 'Serve' as USF's D-Line Coach

April 20, 2020

COACHES PROFILE SERIES: While we wait for USF football to hit the field once again, Senior Writer Tom Zebold and Voice of the Bulls Jim Louk give Bulls fans a window to know more about the people and personalities on head coach Jeff Scott's first USF staff.

The series continues with a feature on former Buccaneers defensive lineman Da'Quan Bowers, who is back in the Bay as USF's new defensive line coach.

LISTEN: Bowers' interview with Voice of the Bulls Jim Louk HERE.

PAST PROFILES:
Charlie Weis Jr. - Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach
Glenn Spencer – Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach
Xavier Dye – Wide Receivers Coach
Jules Montinar – Cornerbacks Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
Allen Mogridge - Offensive Line Coach/Assistant Head Coach
 
 
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, APRIL 20, 2020 – More than four years after his final snap as a Buccaneer, new USF defensive line coach Da'Quan Bowers is back in the Bay to share his knowledge of the game - and life in general - with a very fortunate bunch of Bulls.

"I've been able to be around a lot football. I've been able to be around a lot of great coaches and players, so it would be selfish of me not to pass on what I've been taught to the next generation," he said. "That's what I want to do. I want to serve these kids and I want to serve their hearts, not their talents."

In the process, the former Clemson All-American defensive end is happy he gets to serve on a talented staff that's led by a very familiar face in head coach Jeff Scott.

"I've known Coach Scott for almost half of my life and he's been the same ever since I've known him," said the 30-year-old. "He's always been a standup, loyal guy who just wants the best for his players."

Both of the new Bulls' careers really took off at the same time with Clemson back in 2008, when Bowers was a freshman. Meanwhile, Scott was promoted to receivers coach midway through the season by interim head coach Dabo Swinney, now a two-time national champion with six ACC crowns in his collection as a Tiger.

"It's kind of been upwards ever since then," Bowers said.

Bowers played a key role in the rise of the Tigers in three productive seasons with the program. During his final collegiate campaign in 2010, the junior led the nation with 26 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks on the way to reeling in prestigious honors like the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Ted Hendricks Award and ACC Defensive Player of the Year.

Drafted by Tampa Bay in 2011, Bowers continued to see Clemson transform into a powerhouse program, especially after Scott was named co-offensive coordinator in 2015. Since then, the Tigers have made five straight College Football Playoff trips and four CFP National Championship Game appearances (2015, 2016, 2018 & 2019 seasons).

"Watching that and being able to be foundational piece to that was amazing," Bowers said. "I take pride in it, and a lot of us former Tigers do as well."

Once his pro playing career came to a close, Bowers helped the Tigers stay at the top of the college football world as an undergraduate coach who worked with defensive linemen during the 2018-19 seasons. Clemson won its second national title since the 2016 season in Bowers' first year on staff and competed for the grand prize again this January.

What made the 2019 postseason extra special for Bowers was fulfilling a promise of earning his bachelor's degree from Clemson. One of the major rewards was an invitation from Scott to join his new staff at USF.

"I was, first of all, honored for him to even think of me, being that I was just graduating and would be fresh into my coaching career," Bowers said. "It was a very interesting time, but I was grateful for the opportunity and blessed with the chance to come back to Tampa."

Time in Tampa Helped Shape Bowers
Bowers has happily returned to the Bay with memories of a special place that helped shape him in different ways.

"I love Tampa," he said. "Tampa is where I met my wife and this is where we call home, so I'm glad to be back."

Bowers first arrived in the land of the Bucs and Bulls as a second-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. He learned a lot while battling through multiple injuries over five seasons.

"I honestly feel like looking back at it now, I was put in those situations for a reason," he said.

Bowers made six of his 10 starts for Tampa Bay during his 16-game rookie season in 2011. He finished his Bucs career with 69 tackles (18 TFLs), 7.0 sacks and two fumble recoveries in 53 games.

"My biggest advice to not only my players, but to any athlete everywhere in the world is if you're foundation is based off this ball – whatever that ball is – and you put all of your eggs in that basket, when that ball goes flat, you don't have anything else to stand firm on," he said. "That's my biggest message to my players is, 'Injuries happen, and I'm a living example.'"

Bowers ended his playing career on a high note with 7.0 sacks for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League in 2017. He's grateful for a lengthy pro run in pads, but he's also glad he opened a new chapter in football by eventually crossing the academic finish line.

"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."

'I Love My Music and I Love My Football'
If Bowers was never blessed with the ability to play and coach football, he still might be getting cheers in another career as a touring musician.

Starting off on the drums, the Bamberg, S.C., native picked up the guitar as a young child and enhanced his talent playing in church from age 10 until he headed to Clemson as a 17-year-old.

"My father (Dennis) was a professional gospel singer and guitarist who sang and played with a group based out of New York City called The Legendary Singing Stars, formerly Tommy Ellison & The Five Singing Stars," said Bowers. "He did that for 35 years up until he died (in 2010)."


Bowers, also a talented singer, said he started to tour with his dad's band at 16 or 17 and still plays guitar with the group today, "if I have time and I'm not doing anything and they're close enough."

"To me, it's just using the gift that God has given me to glorify him," Bowers said. "He's given me the talent of music and the different instruments I play. He's given me the talent of being a decent football player and hopefully a decent coach."

With that in mind, Bowers is devoted to making the most of his first full-time coaching opportunity on USF's staff, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to "amazing" technology, Bowers enjoys building bonds virtually through "face-to-face" conversations with his players and he's using his past experiences to motivate defensive linemen during this difficult situation.

"Now is the time to learn how to be a pro," he tells his players. "For the guys who have aspirations of playing at the next level, this is a prime example of what it's gonna be like moving forward. You're not gonna have winter workouts with your team and things like that. You're gonna be responsible for learning the playbook and getting yourself in shape on your own and showing up ready to work."

Whether or not a Bull is primed for the pros, Bowers said he's going to coach each of his players the same, regardless of talent level.

Fortunately for Bowers, he's got an athletic and "very, very explosive group" that includes seniors Kevin Kegler (Madison, Fla.), Kelvin Pinkney (Sarasota) and Blake Green (Bradenton, Fla.) along with junior Rashawn Yates (Port St. Lucie, Fla.).  

"You've got guys who are very fast. You've got guys who are very strong. It's just a different combination of different things," he said. "We've got a lot of guys who haven't played a lot of football that are looking and are excited for an opportunity. We have some guys who are also out to prove a point that they're ready to play at this level. It's gonna be a fun camp, just letting those guys compete."

D-linemen can count on Bowers being ready to help them put it all together when it's safe for the Bulls to unite again on campus.

"I'm here to serve them as best I can, whether that's in football, or whether that's in life," he said. "I just want them to be the best they possibly can be."
 
About USF Football
The USF football program first took the field in 1997 and completed its 23^rd season (20^th 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 has 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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