WR Jarod Bowie living out a dream playing at West Virginia

Jarod Bowie is proudly from West Virginia, but wasn’t sure if he would ever have the opportunity to return home to represent the state’s flagship university.

That’s when Rich Rodriguez, who was coaching Bowie at Jacksonville State, returned to Morgantown and opened the door. So, Bowie jumped into the transfer portal and was then invited to follow him back to the Mountain State following the Gamecocks’ bowl game. 

“It’s my shot to go home. It’s my shot to be home, play at home and it’s just a dream come true,” he said. “So I did.”

Bowie starred at Martinsburg High School with 44 catches for 1,082 yards and 18 touchdowns before moving onto West Virginia Wesleyan. 

After spending two seasons there, Bowie moved on to Concord, where he was named the Mountain East Player of the Year and a Harlon Hill Trophy semifinalist with a campaign where he hauled in 102 catches for 1,773 yards and 18 touchdowns. 

But he felt like he could compete at the FBS level, so Bowie transferred to Jacksonville State. The fit with Rodriguez was one that he embraced, given the tempo and how he felt he could play fast.

But that also required some adjustments as Bowie wasn’t used to using hand signals, playing for Dave Walker in high school and at the college level. 

“So that was my first time really doing hand signals. Couldn’t really get it down at first. It was very fast, very, very fast, I would say. Then I got it picked up, and it’s just probably the best thing I’ve ever learned in football,” Bowie said. 

Bowie learned the technique by spending time in the film room, drawing it on boards and going over them sometimes up to three times a day. 

He appeared in only three games in his first year but that grew to 13 this past season and also included the bowl game, where he broke out with 4 catches for 105 yards.

“I felt like I just got my shot. I got my shot that game. Coach threw the ball a good little bit. It’s just what I like to do when I get the ball in my hands,” he said. 

After making that type of adjustment before, Bowie believes he is more prepared for what will come after his latest leap to the Power Four level, given his understanding of the scheme.

“It’s all the same basically to me because I was there for the last two years. So, I basically got a head start on the people that weren’t here at Jacksonville State,” he said. “So it’s just like a head start for me and I just keep learning it and learning it.”

And now Bowie is excited to showcase what he can do at the place he always wanted to play.

“Just to strap up with blue and gold and play for the state I’ve always lived at. So, it’s a blessing,” he said.

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