Terry Bowden Introduced As New Akron Zips Football Coach - Akro

Terry Bowden introduced as new Akron Zips football coach - Akro... http://www.thesuburbanite.com/features/x1819701559/Terry-Bowd...

Terry Bowden introduced as new Akron Zips football coach

By Andy Harris The Suburbanite Posted Dec 29, 2011 @ 12:59 PM

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Akron, Ohio — The University of Akron officially introduced Terry Bowden as its 27th head football coach in a press conference held Dec. 28 at Infocision Stadium - Summa Field.

Bowden, with a career record of 140-62-2 in previous stops at Auburn, Samford, Salem and North Alabama, inherits a program that went 2-22 in its previous two seasons, winning just one Mid-American Conference game.

He replaces Rob Ianello, who was fired in in early December after two seasons at Akron.

"I want to tell you how excited I am to be here at the University of Akron," Bowden told an assembled crowd of media, program supporters and university staff. "I can also tell you that since I've been here, walking through these facilities and meeting the people here and around town, I'm even more excited."

Bowden noted the significant changes that have taken place on the UA campus since he was a member of then-coach Gerry Faust's staff as the quarterbacks coach in 1986. "The last time I was here, you could drive cars through campus," he recalled.

For a program that has been at the bottom of the MAC East for the past two years, Bowden expressed optimism that a turnaround is possible despite conceding there is no "magic formula." He made a point of praising the school's commitment to athletics and its facilities, including Infocision Stadium.

"I believe that if we can get these young men on this campus, we can show them what a difference-maker Akron can be in their lives and not only in football," he said.

As for the proverbial "changing of the culture" that losing programs must undertake, Bowden admitted the only true way to change a losing culture is to win games.

"I can create an election of success and I can talk about success I've had somewhere else, but really we've got to go knock somebody off that we've haven't knocked off lately," he said. "You have to be a little bit bold in your presentation and convince the players that if they go with me, they can have success. We need to create a great expectation for success and convince the players to buy in."

Bowden will coach his first game for Akron when the Zips open the 2012 season with a home contest on Aug. 30 against Central Florida.

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