He played at Lawrence High and at Kansas University. His personality and local roots make him a popular figure in town. Everybody likes Clint Bowen. And none of that has anything to do with why KU football head coach Mark Mangino named Bowen to fill Bill Young’s Bob Lanier-sized shoes.

Mangino gave Bowen the promotion for selfish reasons. He did it because he thinks he’s the best man to lead his defense. He did it because he believes Bowen knows his stuff.

That doesn’t mean there won’t be a transitional period for Bowen. For one thing, he’ll be coaching from a different vantage point. He’ll be watching from the press box, instead of his usual spot in the middle of the action on the sidelines.

“One difference is the emotions,” Bowen said. “When you’re on the sidelines, you’re seeing and hearing and smelling everything that’s going on. When you’re in the box, it’s kind of like you’re sitting in the living room. You’re removed from all the noise and all that, and it’s just more quiet, like you’re watching the game on TV almost.”

At first blush, that doesn’t seem to fit Bowen’s style. He’s a fiery coach whose adrenaline flows freely.

“It will be tough, but it’s probably best that I’m going in the box,” Bowen said. “That will allow me to remove myself from jumping up and down and yelling when I should be thinking. It will be exciting to see if these kids are everything we think they are and see how they’re going to play.”

Bowen, who spent a few games in the press box during the 2006 season, directs a defense that returns nine of 11 starters, losing only first-team All-American cornerback Aqib Talib and second-team All-American defensive tackle James McClinton, the emotional leader of the defense and a leader who saw to it that every player brought energy on every snap in practice.

Promoting an insider makes the transition for returning players smoother.

“We’re pretty much doing the same thing, flying around, playing hard-nosed defense,” linebacker James Holt said. “It’s still the same mentality of football we have had over the years.”

Mangino agreed: “We’re not going to make major changes. What we’ve been doing has worked for us, and Clint knows that as well as anybody. … We are always evolving, but major structural changes to the defense will not take place. It will be the same premise.”

Mangino sounded as if the decision to promote Bowen was easy.

“Clint has a lot of great qualities about him,” Mangino said. “No. 1, first and foremost, he is dedicated, loyal, and he loves the University of Kansas. When I first came here, I realized this wasn’t just a job for him, that he has a passion for the football program here at Kansas. But beyond that, he is very intelligent, and he’s very smart in the way that he deals with the players. He can be tough on them, but they understand him. He has been a guy that behind the scenes has played a major role in coverages and blitz packages. He’s been a major player on that side of the ball for us, so it was just a natural choice.”

By the time Bowen’s defense goes on the road to play South Florida on Sept. 12, the new coordinator will have had two games to smooth over any growing pains.