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Elko Selects Bower as Defensive Ends Coach
12/30/2021 10:00:00 AM | Football
DURHAM – Duke head football coach Mike Elko announced Thursday that Harland Bower will join the Blue Devil gridiron program and serve as an assistant coach. Bower will coach Duke's defensive ends.
Bower and Elko served on the defensive staff together for the 2021 season at Texas A&M University, where Bower was a defensive analyst for the Aggies during their 8-4 season, including an invitation to participate in the Taxslayer Gator Bowl. The two also worked together at the University of Notre Dame for the 2017 season in which they helped the Irish defense rank in the top half nationally in four major defensive categories. Notre Dame went 14-11 during Bower's two seasons in South Bend, including a 21-17 win over LSU in the 2017 Citrus Bowl.
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Prior to his year in College Station, Bower spent three seasons (2018-20) as the defensive line coach at the University of South Alabama. While there, he mentored five to All-Sun Belt honors.
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In 2020, the Jaguars finished first in the Sun Belt in fourth down defense, holding opponents to just a 38.5 percent (10-for-26) conversation rate. Bower mentored senior defensive lineman and All-Sun Belt selection Jeremiah Littles that season to sixth on the team with 32 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss and a team-best 3.0 sacks.
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The previous season, he coached Jeffrey Whatley and Sean Brown to all-conference honors. Whatley ranked second in the league with 1.21 tackles for loss per game and finished with 14.5 on the year, which was the third-highest season total in school history. He also tied with teammate Rocel McWilliams for a team-high 4.5 sacks. Brown ended up with career-high figures in 2019 after posting 28 tackles and three tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
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During his first year at South Alabama, Bower helped a trio of players in Tyree Turner, Jordan Beaton and Littles combine to register 20 tackles for loss, including 8.5 sacks, as the Jaguars finished among the top half of the Sun Belt in both categories. For those efforts both Turner and Beaton earned All-Sun Belt honors.
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Bower joined the Jaguars after a two-year stint as a defensive graduate assistant at Notre Dame. In his second year, Notre Dame finished 11th in both national polls and improved at least 20 spots in the national rankings in rushing defense (72nd to 51st), pass efficiency defense (79th to 46th), scoring defense (62nd to 31st), third down defense (60th to 37th), turnovers gained (104th to 50th), sacks (117th to 82nd) and tackles for loss (102nd to 58th).
Prior to his stop in South Bend, Bower served two years (2014-15) as the outside linebackers coach at the University of Central Arkansas. In his second season, he helped the Bears finish with a record of 7-4, including a 7-2 mark in the Southland Conference. During his time there, he mentored future All-American and First-Team All-Southland Conference selection George Odum and aided in the development of future first-team all-league honoree Chris Chambers.
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Bower also made one-year stops at Troy University (graduate assistant/defense) in 2013, Rutgers University (defensive quality control) in 2012, and Murray State University (assistant strength and conditioning) in 2011. His coaching career started at Georgia Military College in 2010, where he coached defensive backs and was an assistant strength and conditioning coach.
A 2009 graduate of Georgia Southern University with a bachelor's degree in general studies, Bower was a four-year letterman along the defensive line and was credited with 56 tackles. He began his collegiate playing career at Central Michigan University in 2005 but transferred to Georgia Southern where he was elected a team captain as a senior.
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Bower is married to the former Lauren Leigh Haines of Duluth, Ga., and they are the parents of daughter Savannah.
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THE HARLAND BOWER FILE
Hometown: Edison, N.J.
Education: Georgia Southern, 2009 (general studies)
Wife: Lauren Leigh
Children: Savannah
Birthday: April 4, 1988
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BOWER'S COACHING CAREER
#GoDuke
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Bower and Elko served on the defensive staff together for the 2021 season at Texas A&M University, where Bower was a defensive analyst for the Aggies during their 8-4 season, including an invitation to participate in the Taxslayer Gator Bowl. The two also worked together at the University of Notre Dame for the 2017 season in which they helped the Irish defense rank in the top half nationally in four major defensive categories. Notre Dame went 14-11 during Bower's two seasons in South Bend, including a 21-17 win over LSU in the 2017 Citrus Bowl.
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Prior to his year in College Station, Bower spent three seasons (2018-20) as the defensive line coach at the University of South Alabama. While there, he mentored five to All-Sun Belt honors.
Â
In 2020, the Jaguars finished first in the Sun Belt in fourth down defense, holding opponents to just a 38.5 percent (10-for-26) conversation rate. Bower mentored senior defensive lineman and All-Sun Belt selection Jeremiah Littles that season to sixth on the team with 32 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss and a team-best 3.0 sacks.
Â
The previous season, he coached Jeffrey Whatley and Sean Brown to all-conference honors. Whatley ranked second in the league with 1.21 tackles for loss per game and finished with 14.5 on the year, which was the third-highest season total in school history. He also tied with teammate Rocel McWilliams for a team-high 4.5 sacks. Brown ended up with career-high figures in 2019 after posting 28 tackles and three tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
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During his first year at South Alabama, Bower helped a trio of players in Tyree Turner, Jordan Beaton and Littles combine to register 20 tackles for loss, including 8.5 sacks, as the Jaguars finished among the top half of the Sun Belt in both categories. For those efforts both Turner and Beaton earned All-Sun Belt honors.
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Bower joined the Jaguars after a two-year stint as a defensive graduate assistant at Notre Dame. In his second year, Notre Dame finished 11th in both national polls and improved at least 20 spots in the national rankings in rushing defense (72nd to 51st), pass efficiency defense (79th to 46th), scoring defense (62nd to 31st), third down defense (60th to 37th), turnovers gained (104th to 50th), sacks (117th to 82nd) and tackles for loss (102nd to 58th).
Prior to his stop in South Bend, Bower served two years (2014-15) as the outside linebackers coach at the University of Central Arkansas. In his second season, he helped the Bears finish with a record of 7-4, including a 7-2 mark in the Southland Conference. During his time there, he mentored future All-American and First-Team All-Southland Conference selection George Odum and aided in the development of future first-team all-league honoree Chris Chambers.
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Bower also made one-year stops at Troy University (graduate assistant/defense) in 2013, Rutgers University (defensive quality control) in 2012, and Murray State University (assistant strength and conditioning) in 2011. His coaching career started at Georgia Military College in 2010, where he coached defensive backs and was an assistant strength and conditioning coach.
A 2009 graduate of Georgia Southern University with a bachelor's degree in general studies, Bower was a four-year letterman along the defensive line and was credited with 56 tackles. He began his collegiate playing career at Central Michigan University in 2005 but transferred to Georgia Southern where he was elected a team captain as a senior.
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Bower is married to the former Lauren Leigh Haines of Duluth, Ga., and they are the parents of daughter Savannah.
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THE HARLAND BOWER FILE
Hometown: Edison, N.J.
Education: Georgia Southern, 2009 (general studies)
Wife: Lauren Leigh
Children: Savannah
Birthday: April 4, 1988
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BOWER'S COACHING CAREER
- 2022-pres. – Duke (Defensive Ends)
- 2021 – Texas A&M (Defensive Analyst)
- 2018-20 – South Alabama (Defensive Line)
- 2016-17 – Notre Dame (Graduate Assistant/Defense)
- 2014-15 – Central Arkansas (Outside Linebackers)
- 2013 – Troy (Graduate Assistant/Defense)
- 2012 – Rutgers (Defensive Quality Control Coach)
- 2011 – Murray State (Assistant Strength & Conditioning)
- 2010 – Georgia Military College (Defensive Backs/Assistant Strength & Conditioning)
#GoDuke
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