Former Mangino assistant Clint Bowen to return as part of Charlie Weis’ staff

Former Kansas University defensive coordinator Clint Bowen, who coached at KU from 1998-2009, will return to Lawrence to serve under new head coach Charlie Weis, according to Journal-World sources.

The Journal-World has learned that former Kansas University assistant coach and player Clint Bowen has accepted a position on new head coach Charlie Weis’ staff.

Sources would not specify what role Weis hired Bowen to fill.

Bowen, who just completed his first season as the defensive coordinator at North Texas, worked as an assistant at KU for 12 years and played defensive back for the Jayhawks from 1992-93.

He served as a defensive grad assistant from 1998-99, director of football operations in 2000 and coached running backs, tight ends, safeties and special teams before rising to become co-defensive coordinator in 2007 and defensive coordinator in 2008 and 2009.

Behind the scenes, Bowen, who was born and raised in Lawrence, has expressed interest in returning to his hometown since being fired along with the rest of the coaching staff following Mark Mangino’s forced resignation at the end of the 2009 season.

The addition of Bowen brings Weis’ staff one step closer to completion. During his first month on the job, Weis has hired Rob Ianello (wide receivers), Ron Powlus (quarterbacks), Tim Grunhard (offensive line) and Scott Holsopple (strength and conditioning). He also retained two former Turner Gill assistants in Reggie Mitchell (running backs) and Buddy Wyatt (defensive line). Nobody on Weis’ staff has as much experience recruiting Dallas as Bowen, who worked the area for KU, Western Kentucky and North Texas.

The positions that remain open on Weis’ staff include: defensive coordinator, defensive backs, linebackers, special teams and tight ends. At most schools, the defensive coordinator also coaches one of the defensive positions.

Brock Berglund update

Although attempts to contact his attorney, Kevin McGreevy, were unsuccessful, it appears as if Brock Berglund’s long and highly publicized legal battle in Colorado may be over.

Berglund, a former three-star, dual-threat quarterback from Highlands Ranch, Colo., was scheduled to appear in court for two straight days beginning Tuesday on a charge of misdemeanor assault for an alleged incident that took place last spring.

According to court documents, a pre-trial readiness conference took place Monday. After originally appearing on Tuesday’s docket as the beginning of a two-day trial, the case disappeared and no longer could be found when searching by case number. In addition, Berglund’s Twitter account featured a handful of messages alluding to Berglund’s troubles being a thing of the past.

Berglund, who spent the fall semester taking online classes from KU at his home in Colorado, plans to report to campus in time for a Jan. 15 team meeting.

KU adds to strength staff

KU announced the addition of two members of KU’s new strength and conditioning staff on Tuesday.

Josh Eidson and Juney Barnett have been hired to join head strength coach Scott Holsopple, who joined the Jayhawks last week after working with Weis for one season at Florida.

Eidson, a native of Oxford, Pa., comes to KU after nine seasons as an assistant strength coach with the Indiana University football program.

Barnett, a Philadelphia native, comes to KU after spending the last six seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.