Longtime college football assistant coach Clint Bowen, who has spent the vast majority of his career in the Big XII will make his debut as the defensive coordinator for Oklahoma State on Saturday at Arizona. Oklahoma State made a significant staff change for the second consecutive week.
Bowen takes over for Todd Grantham, who was fired on Sunday, four games into his Oklahoma State tenure as defensive coordinator. Grantham was hired by Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy, who was fired last week. Oklahoma State owes Gratham the entirety of his three-year, $4.2 million contract.
Bowen spent 19 seasons in three stints on the staff at Kansas. Bowen played at Lawrence High School and after one season at Butler County Community College, played at Kansas from 1991 through 1994. After his playing career ended, Bowen became a graduate assistant at Kansas in 1995.
The first full-time job for Banks was as the special teams and tight ends coach at Kansas in 2001. Bowen was the co-defensive coordinator for Kansas in 2006 and 2007 and held the position solely in 2008 and 2009. Bowen was also the DC at Western Kentucky in 2010, North Texas in 2011 and 2020 and Kansas again in 2014 and 2015–2018.
Kansas had one win and seven losses with Bowen as the interim head coach in 2014 after Charlie Weis was fired with the Jayhawks 2-2 in 2014. Kansas allowed 25.5 points per game, 81st nationally and 16.4, which was fourth in the two seasons Bowen was the Co-DC.
With Bowen as the sole DC, Kansas allowed 28.8 PPG to finish 82nd nationally in 2008 and 28.4 in 2009 which was 85th in FBS. In his one season at Western Kentucky, the Bowen-led defense was 99th, allowing 33.2 PPG in 2010.
North Texas allowed 24.8 PPG, which was 77th in 2011 and 42.8 in 2020, to finish 126th during their two stints under Bowen. With Bowen as the interim head coach and DC in 2014, Kansas allowed 33.2 PPG to finish 106th nationally.
Bowen was retained by new head coach David Beaty in 2015. Kansas was last allowing 46.1 PPG in 2015. In the subsequent years, Kansas allowed 37.3 PPG, which was 114th nationally in 2016, 43.4 PPG, which was 129th and second to last in 2017 and 30.0, which was 82nd in 2018. Bowen was the Kansas safeties coach in 2019.
Clint Bowen on his new role as interim defensive coordinator pic.twitter.com/9xk1SKeIzP
— Scott Wright (@ScottWrightOK) September 29, 2025
Bowen was an offensive quality control assistant for Oklahoma State in 2025 before being elevated to replace Grantham. Oklahoma State is currently 126th nationally, allowing 35.0 PPG, 130th permitting 473.0 yards per game, 128th with opponents gaining 213.00 rushing YPG and 115th allowing 260.0 passing YPG.
Arizona's offense should be able to exploit Oklahoma State's defense after an inconsistent performance and struggle to score in a 39-14 loss at Iowa State on Saturday. Arizona is 39th nationally, averaging 31.3 PPG and 56th with 418.0 YPG.
Bowen's son, Banks, is a freshman quarterback for Oklahoma State who is listed second on the depth chart behind starter Zane Flores. Flores became the starter after Hauss Hejny was injured in the Oklahoma State season opener and required foot surgery.