How Terry Bowden Makes $500K a Year as a College Football Coach: Salary, Net Worth, and More

Terry Bowden is a well-known college football coach who has been in the industry for over three decades. He is currently the head coach of the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks, a member of the Sun Belt Conference. In this article, we will explore his salary, contract, net worth, career, partner, and biography in detail.

Salary and Contract

Terry Bowden’s salary and contract are among the lowest in college football, but he still earns a decent amount of money for his coaching services. Bowden accepted his current role as head coach at Louisiana-Monroe in December 2020, with a base salary of $360,000 per year. He also has the opportunity to earn various bonuses based on the performance of his team, such as reaching six wins, beating a Power 5 team, or winning the Sun Belt Conference Championship. The total value of his contract, including bonuses and benefits, is estimated to be around $500,000 per year. His contract runs through December 2024.

Net Worth

Terry Bowden’s net worth is not publicly disclosed, but some sources have estimated it to be in the range of $1 million to $7 million. His net worth is mostly derived from his coaching career, which spans over several colleges and universities, such as Salem College, Samford, North Alabama, Akron, Clemson, and most notably Auburn. He also spent about a decade in the broadcasting booth, working as a commentator and analyst for various networks, such as ABC, ESPN, and SiriusXM.

Career

Terry Bowden’s career as a college football coach began in 1983, when he became the head coach of Salem College, a Division III school in West Virginia. He led the team to a 19-13 record in three seasons, before moving to Samford, a Division I-AA school in Alabama, in 1987. He coached Samford for six seasons, compiling a 45-23-1 record and winning the Division I-AA Coach of the Year award in 1991.

In 1993, Bowden made a big leap to Auburn, a Division I-A school in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), one of the most prestigious and competitive conferences in college football. He inherited a team that was under NCAA sanctions and had a losing record in the previous season, but he turned them around in a remarkable fashion. He led Auburn to an undefeated 11-0 season in his first year, becoming the first coach in Division I-A history to do so. He also won the SEC Coach of the Year and the Paul “Bear” Bryant Award for the national coach of the year in 1993. He continued to coach Auburn for five more seasons, posting a 47-17-1 record and winning two SEC West Division titles.

In 1999, Bowden resigned from Auburn amid allegations of academic fraud and player payments. He then took a break from coaching and pursued a career in broadcasting, working as a college football analyst for ABC Sports, ESPN, and SiriusXM Radio. He also wrote a weekly column for Yahoo Sports and hosted a radio show called “The Terry Bowden Show”.

In 2009, Bowden returned to coaching, taking over the North Alabama Lions, a Division II school. He coached them for three seasons, leading them to a 29-9 record and three consecutive playoff appearances. In 2012, he moved up to Akron, a Division I school in the Mid-American Conference (MAC). He coached Akron for seven seasons, improving their record from 1-11 to 8-5 and taking them to their first bowl game in 10 years. He also won the MAC Coach of the Year award in 2015.

In 2019, Bowden joined Clemson as an unpaid graduate intern, working under his brother Tommy Bowden, who was the head coach of the Tigers. He helped Clemson win the national championship that year, before accepting the head coaching position at Louisiana-Monroe in 2020. He is currently in his third season with the Warhawks, trying to rebuild a program that has struggled for years.

Partner

Terry Bowden is married to Shyrl Bowden, his second wife. They tied the knot in 2016, after dating for a few years. Shyrl Bowden is a former Miss West Virginia and a successful businesswoman, who owns a chain of hair salons and spas. She is also a philanthropist, who supports various causes, such as cancer research, animal welfare, and education. Terry and Shyrl Bowden live in Monroe, Louisiana, with their two dogs, Bella and Beau.

Terry Bowden was previously married to Kim Bowden, his first wife. They got married in 1986 and had four children together: two sons, T.J. and Ryan, and two daughters, Lauren and Jordan. They divorced in 2013, after 27 years of marriage.

Biography

Terry Bowden was born on February 24, 1956, in Douglas, Georgia. He is the son of Bobby Bowden, a legendary college football coach who led Florida State to two national championships and 12 ACC titles. He is also the brother of Tommy Bowden, a former college football coach who coached at Tulane and Clemson. He has four other siblings: Robyn, Ginger, Steve, and Jeff.

Terry Bowden grew up in a football-loving family and played the sport from an early age. He attended West Virginia University, where he played as a running back for his father, who was the head coach of the Mountaineers at the time. He graduated in 1978 with a degree in accounting. He then earned his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Akron in 1984.

Terry Bowden is a devout Christian, who credits his faith for his success and happiness. He is also an avid golfer, who enjoys playing the game with his family and friends. He is a member of the American Football Coaches Association, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and the National Football Foundation.

Conclusion

Terry Bowden is one of the most respected and experienced college football coaches in the nation, who has coached at various levels and schools. He is currently the head coach of the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks, where he is trying to turn around a struggling program. He has a modest salary and contract, but a decent net worth, thanks to his long and successful career. He is married to Shyrl Bowden, his second wife, and has four children from his first marriage. He is the son of Bobby Bowden, a legendary coach, and the brother of Tommy Bowden, a former coach. He is a devout Christian, an avid golfer, and a philanthropist.

Most Asked Questions and Answers

• Q: How old is Terry Bowden?
  • A: Terry Bowden is 67 years old as of 2023. He was born on February 24, 1956.
• Q: How tall is Terry Bowden?
  • A: Terry Bowden is 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm) tall.
• Q: How much does Terry Bowden weigh?
  • A: Terry Bowden weighs about 180 pounds (82 kg).
• Q: Where does Terry Bowden live?
  • A: Terry Bowden lives in Monroe, Louisiana, with his wife Shyrl Bowden and their two dogs.
• Q: What is Terry Bowden’s record as a head coach?
  • A: Terry Bowden’s record as a head coach is 178-113-2, as of the end of the 2022 season. He has coached at Salem College, Samford, Auburn, North Alabama, Akron, and Louisiana-Monroe.
• Q: How many national championships has Terry Bowden won?
  • A: Terry Bowden has won one national championship as a coach, in 2019, when he was an unpaid graduate intern at Clemson. He helped his brother Tommy Bowden and the Tigers win the College Football Playoff that year.
• Q: How many conference championships has Terry Bowden won?
  • A: Terry Bowden has won two conference championships as a head coach, both in the SEC West Division, in 1993 and 1997, when he was at Auburn. He also won the Division I-AA Coach of the Year award in 1991, when he was at Samford.
• Q: How many bowl games has Terry Bowden coached in?
  • A: Terry Bowden has coached in six bowl games as a head coach, with a record of 3-3. He coached in the Peach Bowl in 1993, the Outback Bowl in 1994, the Independence Bowl in 1996, the Music City Bowl in 2015, the Boca Raton Bowl in 2017, and the Camellia Bowl in 2018. He also coached in the Division II playoffs three times, when he was at North Alabama.
• Q: Who is Terry Bowden’s wife?
  • A: Terry Bowden’s wife is Shyrl Bowden, a former Miss West Virginia and a successful businesswoman. They got married in 2016, after dating for a few years.
• Q: How many children does Terry Bowden have?
  • A: Terry Bowden has four children from his first marriage to Kim Bowden, whom he divorced in 2013. His children are T.J., Ryan, Lauren, and Jordan.