As Brent Dearmon enters Year 4 trying to turn around the North Alabama Lions program, he's about to reunite with a former colleague and bring some serious coaching chops to his staff, FootballScoop has learned.
Dearmon is tabbing Clint Bowen, previously a Power Conference defensive coordinator at multiple programs, to run the North Alabama defense in 2026.
The two previously worked together at Kansas, where Bowen had a multi-year run as defensive coordinator. Bowen also was interim defensive coordinator at Oklahoma state this past season.
North Alabama is still trying to find consistently competitive footing at the Football Championship Subdivision level after enduring as one of college football's dynasties from the mid-1990s through the mid-2010s with its reign in NCAA Division II football. The Lions won three national championships in the mid-1990s and a total of 10 conference championships across some 25 seasons of play.
Since the program's transition to FCS football in 2018, it has posted just one winning season -- that debut year when it was an independent.
A veteran coach of all levels, Dearmon is bringing aboard Bowen in a key season as North Alabama moves closer to opening its new football stadium.
Bowen's experiences include work at Minnesota, Western Kentucky and North Texas in addition to his lengthy run at Kansas and the past two seasons at Oklahoma State. He's a former Kansas Jayhawks defensive back.
North Alabama, on the heels of a 3-9 2025 season, is scheduled to open next season on Sept. 5, 2026, at Southeastern Conference program Arkansas, which will be under the first-year guidance of former Memphis head man Ryan Silverfield.