University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Bower Receives Two-Year Contract Extension
1/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Jan. 18, 2006
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss Director of Athletics Richard Giannini has announced that an agreement has been reached with the University of Southern Mississippi and Head Football Coach Jeff Bower for a two-year contract extension that will take his contract through the 2009 season. The details and terms of the extension are not available. The terms will be subject to the approval of the IHL Board.
"Jeff and I have recently had several very productive discussions about our football program and its future," Giannini said. "Our goals for the program are the same; continue to operate with a high regard for integrity and academic accomplishment, as well as reaffirming our spot as champions of Conference USA and contend for a BCS bowl. We all will work together to ensure these goals are accomplished."
Bower's association with Southern Miss has been both lengthy and successful. Including his playing days as a Golden Eagle, Bower has been with the University almost 30 years, and his tenure as head coach, which now is in its 16th season, is unparalleled in Southern Miss football history.
"I'm appreciative to the University for their support of me and the football program," Bower said. "I continue to enjoy my stay here, and I look forward to leading this football program for years to come. We have an exciting schedule, our recruiting has been very positive and we are excited about the upcoming season."
Behind only Thad "Pie" Vann, Bower (103-72-1, .588) is the second winningest coach in Golden Eagle history, and has guided his team to conference championships, bowl games and top 25 rankings more frequently than any of his predecessors. That success also has helped generate greater national recognition and prominence for the Southern Miss football team than at any other point in its 90-year history.
Bower has led the Golden Eagles to 12-straight winning seasons, one of seven schools in the nation to accomplish this feat. Southern Miss has won seven or more games in nine of the past 10 years. He also has led the Golden Eagles to four-straight bowl invitations and eight in the past nine years.
During his tenure, the Conference USA Coach of the Decade, which includes three coach of the year selections, has led the Golden Eagles to an unprecedented four Conference USA Championships. Since 1996, his players have been named Conference USA Player of the Year nine times and have been named to 38 All-American teams. He also has had 24 players drafted by the NFL and currently has 18 players on NFL rosters.
Under his leadership, the Golden Eagles have been honored for three-straight years by the American Football Coaches Association for having a graduation rate of 70 percent or better. The Southern Miss football program has been in the forefront of community service projects during his tenure, whether its building a house for habitat for humanity, speaking at local schools, serving as role models and participating in reading days at the Dubard School for Language Disorders, collecting toys for the Salvation Army, working at the local community center or participating in reading days at local schools.
After enduring hurricanes, displacement and scheduling conflicts which forced the Golden Eagles to play four-straight road games at one point and three games in 12 days, Southern Miss finished the 2005 season with a 7-5 record and a second-straight victory in the New Orleans Bowl.
The Golden Eagles return 17 starters and 49 letterwinners from the 2005 season and will open their season at Florida on Sept. 2.
