photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas safeties coach Clint Bowen talks with reporters following head coach Les Miles' Signing Day press conference on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019 in Mrkonic Auditorium.

Longtime Kansas assistant Clint Bowen will be returning to coach football in Lawrence, though this time he will do so at the high school level.

Bowen, a Lawrence native who spent a total of 21 seasons on the coaching staff for the Kansas football program, was named the new head football coach of Lawrence High on Monday. The school board approved the hire Monday evening.

Bowen, who graduated from LHS in 1990, will also be a teacher in the physical education department.

“I’m excited on a lot of different fronts,” Bowen told the Journal-World on Monday. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to come back to Lawrence, Kansas. I’m excited on the front to start a somewhat different career path, a little different than what I’ve been doing.”

“And (I’m) excited to be a part of Lawrence High football again,” Bowen added.

Bowen, 48, most recently was the defensive coordinator for North Texas during the 2020 season. Prior to that, Bowen served a variety of different roles on the Kansas coaching staff during his second stint with the program between 2012-19, which included an eight-game stretch in 2014 where he served as interim head coach.

Bowen’s first stint at KU began in 1998 as a graduate assistant and lasted through the 2009 season. Bowen was the lone defensive coordinator during the 2008 and 2009 seasons. He also was the defensive coordinator for Western Kentucky in 2010 and held the same title for North Texas during the 2011 campaign.

As a player, Bowen starred at Lawrence High before ending up at KU, where he led the Jayhawks in tackles in 1993 with 114 total stops. Bowen played one season at Butler Community College and three at KU (1990, 1992 and 1993) at the collegiate level.

Bowen replaces Steve Rampy, who left to become the head coach of Staley High School in Kansas City, Mo. Rampy spent three seasons leading the Lions, which included a 17-3 stretch over the last two years and a trip to the Class 6A quarterfinals in 2020.

“I feel like this is a home run for our school, for our school district and our community,” LHS Athletic Director Nick Wood told the Journal-World on Monday. “Not only is he going to be amazing football coach, but I think he’s going to be outstanding in the classroom. I also think his family is going to be great in this community.”

For more on the new hire, visit LJWorld.com and see Wednesday’s Journal-World.

Clint Bowen’s college coaching resume

1998-2009: Kansas

• Roles held: Graduate assistant, tight ends coach, special teams coordinator, running backs coach, safeties coach, co-defensive coordinator and defensive coordinator

2010: Western Kentucky (Defensive coordinator)

2011: North Texas (Defensive coordinator/safeties)

2012-2019: Kansas

• Roles held: Safeties coach, special team coordinator, linebackers coach, defensive coordinator and interim head coach

2020: North Texas (Defensive coordinator)