Coaching Candidate Profile: Jeremy Rowell

The West Virginia football program must now fill a new defensive coaching role

Photo courtesy of Georgia Southern Athletics

Another former Troy coach in Jeremy Rowell has come up as one of the top names to watch to replace former Mountaineer outside linebacker’s coach, Al Pogue.

Rowell currently coaches at Georgia Southern where he is in his fourth season with the program and his second as the outside linebacker’s coach. He recently served as defensive backs coach from 2016 until 2017.

Prior to Georgia Southern, Rowell spent the previous three seasons coaching Colquitt County High School to a pair of Class I state championships. In Rowell’s last season with Colquitt, the team went 15-0 and finished as national champions by High School Football America.

Before coaching at the high school level and at Georgia Southern, the Troy graduate spent 15 seasons with the Trojans program with the final six as the defensive coordinator.

Rowell helped Troy secure the Sun Belt Conference title from 2006 until 2010 as well as mentoring a number of future NFL players and setting multiple defensive records.

The earlier years of Rowell’s career saw him coach 2009 NFL draft pick, Sherrod Martin, All Sun-Belt Conference selection Terrence Moore, as well as 2010 Arizona Cardinals draft pick Jorrick Calvin.

The 2008 Trojans defense which was mainly led by Rowell also ranked in the top 35 in pass defense, total defense and scoring defense as well as pass efficiency defense.

While in his playing days at Troy, Rowell was considered one of the top quarterbacks in school history as the commander in chief threw for 3,300 career passing yards and 22 career touchdowns throughout his three seasons with the Trojans.

The football program continues their search for a defensive-minded coach as Rowell offers a lot of experience at different levels of the game.