Pitt Hires Joe Bowen as Linebackers Coach
Pitt football made a slew of assistant coaching hires Monday morning, including at linebackers.
Joe Bowen has been hired as Pitt’s linebackers coach, a team source confirmed. It was first reported by Pete Thamel. Pittsburgh Sports Now reported earlier this week that Bowen, who will also serve as the run game coordinator, was a name emerging in this search.
Bowen takes over a position that was manned by Ryan Manalac, who was hired as UConn’s defensive coordinator following the Military Bowl.
Pitt has also hired Virginia Tech’s Brent Davis as the tight ends coach, former UNC assistant Mike Priefer as the special teams coordinator and Northwestern’s Harlon Barnett as the safeties/assistant head coach.
Bowen served as the Buffalo defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in the Mid-American Conference. 2025 served as Bowen’s second season in that role.
At Buffalo, Bowen has produced multiple All-American linebackers. This season, Red Murdock was named an All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, the Associated Press and the Football Writers Association of American (FWAA). In 2024, Shaun Dolac was the first Consensus All-American and named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year after leading the nation in tackles with a school-record 168, ranking fourth in interceptions with five and sixth in tackles for loss with 18.5.
Bowen was named the 2024 Linebacker Coach of the Year by Footballscoop and was also named to the 2024 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute.
Prior to Buffalo, Bowen was at Miami (OH) as the linebackers coach a run game coordinator. Both at Buffalo and Miami (OH), Bowen has served as the WPIAL area recruiter and has attracted several Western Pennsylvania commitments, including three in the 2025 recruiting class with Elizabeth Forward’s Christopher Climes, University Prep’s Xair Stevenson and Woodland Hills’ George Hill.
Bowen spent short stints with the South Carolina, Florida State and Michigan State staffs as defensive graduate assistants to start his coaching career.
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