ACU Football Welcomes Bowie as New OC

ABILENE – Abilene Christian announced a new offensive coordinator this week with Rick Bowie joining the staff from Valdosta State.
 
 "Coach Bowie comes from a background that I'm very familiar with," said ACU Head Coach Keith Patterson. "He brings a wide-open offense. Very explosive. I think it's just a great fit out here in West Texas, going all the way back to the days of Mike Leach. He plays an explosive style and brand of football and I'm looking forward to him bringing that here."
 
Bowie, who also will coach ACU's quarterbacks, was the OC for a VSU squad that went 12-2 last season with an appearance in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals. He was the gameday play-caller for a team that won the Gulf South Conference, averaged 36.9 points per game and was in the top 10 nationally in passing yards per game and total touchdowns.
 
His 2022 offense was the only team in Division II to be in the top 25 in passing and rushing.
 
"I have a couple of connections with Coach Patterson and that was what was most exciting to me," Bowie said. "I think being around a place like ACU and what Coach Patterson has been able to do here and before being here is what really drew me. And getting back in the state of Texas was big for me."
 
Before his two seasons at Valdosta State, Bowie served as wide receivers coach in 2021 and as offensive graduate assistant in 2019 and 2020 at the University of Houston. He also served as an offensive graduate assistant coach at West Virginia.
 
Bowie got his bachelor's degree from Dickinson College in 2012 after playing for four years as a quarterback and wide receiver and serving as the football representative for the Student Athletic Advisory Committee. He went on to get a master's degree in educational studies from Johns Hopkins in 2018.
 
Bowie spent two seasons before WVU at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Md., where he served as Co-Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks/tight ends coach as well as director of admissions and enrollment.  He received his coaching start as a football coaching intern at Florida International University in the summer of 2011, before becoming the tight ends and quarterbacks coach for four seasons at Gilman School in Baltimore.
 
Former offensive coordinator Ryan Pugh continues with the Wildcats as the offensive line coach.