Akron Zips
Coaching staff
AKRON
AKRON
Football
Football
AC
Offensive Coordinator/ Quarterbacks Second Season at Akron North Alabama, 2009
A.J. Milwee was promoted to offensive coordinator in December 2012 and also mentors the UA quarterbacks. At age 27 (born Jan. 19, 1986), he is the second-youngest coordinator in the FBS. A record-setting signal caller at Division-II North Alabama, Milwee oversaw the record-setting season of Zips’ fifth-year senior transfer quarterback Dalton Williams in 2012. Williams achieved the program’s single-season record for touchdown passes (25) and pass completions (326-for-522), while his 3,387 passing yards ranked as the third most in a season in school history.
Having compiled a 33-5 mark as UNA’s QB during the 2006-08 seasons, Milwee set all-time school records for career passing yards (8,436), pass completions (677), passing attempts (1,030), touchdown passes (73) and total offense yards (9,401). He earned honorable mention AllAmerica honors as a senior and is a member of the program’s all-decade team (1999-2008). At UNA, he was a two-time finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, awarded annually to the nation’s top player at the NCAA Division-II level. Milwee spent his freshman year of eligibility as a member of the Alabama football team. He holds an undergraduate degree in finance from North Alabama.
In 2012, Bowden worked with All-Mid-American Conference Team pick senior wideout Marquelo Suel, who posted a team-high 820 receiving yards off 76 catches. Suel’s team-high receptions were the second most in a single season in program history. Additionally, he closed out the regular season ranked fifth in the MAC and tied for 28th nationally in catches per game (6.3). Suel was also named to the Fred Biletnikoff Award Watch List. Also in 2012, junior receiver Jerrod Dillard, who led UA with nine touchdown catches, earned Academic Honorable Mention from the MAC. He finished the season with 29 catches for 401 yards. In the three seasons prior to his post at Akron, Bowden was associate head coach and receivers coach at North Alabama with his brother, helping the program to a 29-9 record. Before his tenure at UNA, he spent 13 years (1994-2006) on the staff at Florida State, working under his father, legendary coach Bobby Bowden. Jeff was the Seminoles’ offensive coordinator from 2001-06 and from 1994-2000 worked with the receivers. In his 13 seasons at FSU, the program competed in a bowl game each year, tallied nine conference titles and one national championship (1999). A total of 21 of his charges were drafted or signed as a free agent with an NFL team, including Pro Bowlers Laveraneus Coles, Javon Walker and Anquan Boldin. He also coached consensus All-Americans Peter Warrick and Marvin Minnis, and mentored four bowl game MVPs. He began his collegiate coaching career in 1983 as a receivers coach at Salem College, when Terry was hired as the head coach, and in 1985 was promoted to offensive coordinator. In 1986, he served as graduate assistant coach at Florida State before rejoining Terry on Samford’s staff the following year. Jeff was offensive coordinator for the Bulldogs from 1987-90 and was credited with guiding the career of current Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher. From 1991-93, Bowden served as receivers coach at Southern Mississippi before returning to Florida State in 1994. Bowden, 53 (born Dec. 30, 1959), played wide receiver at FSU from 1980-83. He and his wife, Cindy, have five children, Haley, Hunter, T.J., Robert and Julia Elizabeth.
2013 University of Akron Football • 55
records
Milwee came to Akron after one year on staff at East Mississippi Community College, helping the program to an NJCAA national championship. He spent the 2009 and 2010 seasons on Terry Bowden’s staff at UNA as a graduate assistant that worked with the quarterbacks. In that time on the Lions staff the program went a combined 20-6, made back-to-back playoff appearances and were 2009 Gulf South Conference champions.
The younger brother of UA head coach Terry Bowden, Jeff boasts nearly 30 years of collegiate coaching experience. In his second season on the staff, he serves as the Zips’ special teams coordinator and also works with the outside receivers.
2012 Review
Also in 2012, redshirt freshman QB Kyle Pohl was named to the MAC’s Academic Honorable Mention Team.
Bowden’s Year-By-Year Coaching Experience: Year(s) School (Position) 1983-84 Salem College (receivers) 1985 Salem College (offensive coordinator) 1986 Florida State (graduate assistant) 1987-90 Samford (offensive coordinator) 1991-00 Florida State (receivers) 2001-06 Florida State (offensive coordinator) 2009-11 North Alabama (associate head coach/receivers) 2012- Akron (special teams/outside receivers)
Staff
Additionally in 2012, the Zips set a program record and led the MidAmerican Conference in passing yards (3,753) and touchdown passes (30). The team’s school-record 312.8 passing yards per game ranked 17th nationally, while its 427.2 yards of total offense per game ranked 45th. UA’s 5,126 yards of total offense was second most in program history, behind the 2003 squad’s 5,643.
AC
Special Teams Coordinator/ Outside Receivers Second Season at Akron Florida State, 1983
Student-Athletes
Milwee’s Year-By-Year Coaching Experience: Year(s) School (Position) 2009-10 North Alabama (graduate assistant) 2011 East Mississippi Community College (quarterbacks) 2012 Akron (quarterbacks) 2013- Akron (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks)
Jeff Bowden
Akron Football
A.J. Milwee