Chat with KU assistant football coach Clint Bowen

Welcome to our online chat with KU assistant football coach Clint Bowen.

The chat took place on Friday, December 16, at 1:30 PM and is now closed, but you can read the full transcript on this page.

Moderator: Hi and welcome to our chat today. I'm Andy Samuelson the online sports editor for KUsports.com and I will be today's chat moderator. Today we are joined by Kansas University assistant football coach Clint Bowen. Thanks Clint for taking time out of your busy schedule to join with our KUsports.com readers this afternoon. I'm sure the Jayhawk staff is jam packed in making preparations with the Fort Worth Bowl just a week away.

Clint Bowen: Thanks for having me. I appreciate you guys inviting me here to talk about KU football. This month has been a whirlwind of activities with recruiting, bowl game preparations, and finals for the kids. But obviously being busy is a good problem to have at this time of the year.

Moderator: Clint, I'm sure that a lot of people, especially in and around Lawrence know who you are and what you do for KU football. But could you give the other KU fans a brief rundown of your responsibilities as the safeties and special teams coordinator.

Clint Bowen: I'm responsible for coaching the free safety and strong safety positions. Then I'm in charge with the overall responsibility of the specials teams. I get help from the other coaches, like Dave Doeren (co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach) is in charge of punt returns and Earnest Collins (cornerbacks coach) is in charge of kick-off coverage. I kind of oversee the whole special teams' operation.

Moderator: Lets get to some questions.

Courtney, Altoona, Kan.: What are KU's chances of beating Houston?

Clint Bowen: We're going down there fully expecting to win this game. Our chances are pretty good. We've played really well at the end of the season. We're a veteran team that has been to a bowl game before. On offense we moved the ball well at the end of the season. And defensively we played well all year, but we'll definitely have to continue to do that. Our chances of winning this game are very good and that's what we fully expect to do.

Scot, Dallas, Texas: Can you discuss the benefit, if any, the extra practices making a bowl game allows for, in terms of next season, given the amount of turnover on the team. Do the practices focus solely on the bowl, or are some inexperienced players getting reps that might help them next year?

Clint Bowen: It helps the development of young guys a ton. We have approximately 15 extra practices that we would not have had if we didn't take part in the postseason. About the first seven practices are pretty much based around the young guys. Those guys picked up several reps that will carry over into spring football. The seven practices are about half the number of practices in spring ball, so the young guys are really gaining about half the time of spring drills. As the game gets closer, the practices switch to game preparation for the older players and starters. But the young guys get a very significant amount of practice time because of the bowl game.

Tony, Overland Park, Kan.: The KU football fans seemed to just be happy to be in a bowl game a few years ago. Is the mood for this year's game different?

Clint Bowen: I believe it is. For us as a team, we talked about that going to a bowl game is a good thing, but not that good if you lose the game. We want to come out of this thing as a winning team with a 7-5 record. We want the experience to be as enjoyable as it can be, but the main objective is to win the football game. If we want to have fun, then that's the only way to do it.

Gene, Kansas City: What are the main qualities that make your three starting linebackers: Reid, Floodman, and Kane so special?

Clint Bowen: The first thing all of them have is that they have better athletic ability than people give them credit for. But all three of them are very tough and very smart. The game is important to all of them. When you have guys that are going to go out there and give it their all, then you add in the athletic ability -- and that's what makes those three guys so special.

Wacky, Overland Park, Kan.: Tell us about some players to watch for next year. Who might have been a redshirt this year but can be an impact player next year?

Clint Bowen: Darrell Stuckey is a guy that will have a chance to have an impact next season. Caleb Blakesley is another guy who had a good redshirt season. Jeff Wheeler has been another guy. Angus Quigley will have the opportunity to get some quality time. Obviously Kerry Meier is pushing to be the starting quarterback, which would give him about as much impact as anyone could have. But those few kids will all have the opportunity to be impact players for us.

Moderator: Looks like Clint has time for one more question.

Jake, Salina, Kan.: I've read that Houston has kind of an unorthodox offense, do they throw the ball as much as Texas Tech? What will be the biggest key in stopping the Cougars when they have the ball?

Moderator: Clint, I wonder if Jake from Salina, is your guys' Jake. Probably not, but I'm sure KU fans will hear from that Jake real soon.

Clint Bowen: Sharp, huh? Maybe. The biggest key will be not giving up big pass plays to their fast wide receivers, because they do have a couple of wideouts that are very fast. They don't throw as much as Texas Tech, but the offense is not conventional by any means. You definitely get different formations than the norm. The plays they run are more run-pass options, a different look. For the KU fans who really are watching the game or those fans who understand the game well, they should easily be able to pick up on a lot of their unique schemes.

Moderator: Well that's going to do it for our chat today with Kansas University assistant football coach Clint Bowen. Thanks coach and good luck to you, Mark Mangino, and the Jayhawks next week in Fort Worth. I'm sure with the heavy alumni-base in that area a lot of KU fans will be making their way to Amon G. Carter Stadium. Also thanks to our KUsports.com readers for all their input into this chat and their excitement for KUsports.com and Kansas University athletics.

Clint Bowen: Thanks for having me.