Revisiting Nov. 26, 2016 is a pleasant stroll down memory lane for Richard Bowens III. That night, his Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Eaglets took down Muskegon, cementing the school’s place in the history books with it’s third consecutive MHSAA Division 3 state championship.
Bowens, then a 3-star defensive back with Orchard Lake, remembers the glory that came with winning the back and forth game by a one-point margin. However, there’s another level to the emotional depth that came with winning that state title.
That night, he met Kalil Pimpleton.
After exchanging respectful comments following the game, the two exchanged phone numbers and have been friends ever since.
Their relationship is one of the main reasons why Bowens, who entered the transfer portal after graduating from Iowa State, spurned higher interest for Central Michigan. He officially pledged his final two years to the Chippewas with the signing of his letter of intent on Tuesday.
Being from Michigan, Bowens never let himself stray too far from his home state despite being stationed hundreds of miles away in Ames, Iowa.
He trains with senior safety Alonzo McCoy, he’s played against Pimpleton and senior receiver JaCorey Sullivan in the state championship game, and he graduated from the same high school as director of player personnel Albert Karschnia. His roots run deep with the Chippewas.
These roots are the driving factor for Bowens’ decision to come back home, psychology degree in hand, and play out the rest of his collegiate career with the Chippewas.
Position depth leads to changes
Bowens made the trek to Ames with a vision of contributing early. After winning three titles as a team in football and two more individually in the 300-meter hurdles on the track, Bowens was a heralded member of the Cyclones’ 2017 recruiting class.
With returning starters Kamari Cotton-Moya and Brian Peavy, playing time was at a premium early and Bowens redshirted. Following the redshirt year, depth at the corner position caused Bowens to transition to safety. There, he would play in 12 games and log over 300 snaps. Heading into his sophomore season, Bowens felt ready to take the next step.
“Last year, I was ready to show more of what I could do at safety with a year of it under my belt but that’s when they had brought in a grad transfer,” Bowens said.
That grad transfer was Justin Bickham, who came to the Cyclones after graduating from Rice. Pair his addition with the return of a trio of starters, and playing time was once again at a premium for Bowens. Following the conclusion of the season and facing his graduation from the university, Bowens and Cyclone coach Matt Campbell mutually decided that it would be in Bowens’ best interest to transfer.
Upon graduating with a psychology degree, Bowens indeed entered the portal. He had crossed off one goal, that of a college degree. However, he still had plenty of on-field goals to achieve. He wanted to help a team win championships, to be an all-conference defender and to be considered for the Jim Thorpe award, the honor given to the nation’s best cornerback.
His first step toward achieving those goals was to call up an old friend.
Returning home
“We got the ball rolling really early,” Bowens stated.
As alumni of Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, Bowens noted that there is a distinction between he and Karschnia that not many coaches and players can share. Coming from an all-boys school that has an annual enrollment of around 500, Bowens says that their alma mater is one that “prides itself on lifelong brotherhood.”
That brotherhood proved pivotal in this recruitment.
Within a day of entering the portal, Bowens was contacted by Karschnia. Within a week, he was on the phone with head coach Jim McElwain.
On these calls, Bowens was wowed by the tradition within the program, whether it be defensive coordinator Robb Akey’s history as an NFL D-Line coach, McElwain’s winning pedigree at the collegiate level or a long list of Chippewas, especially in the defensive backfield, who have had success professionally.
Though receiving a lot of interest from other schools, the connections both in the locker room and in the pros was too much for Bowens to turn down.
The biggest factor in his recruitment? A call with Karschnia.
“I wasn’t gonna make the decision unless coach Karschnia advised me to to be honest, he played a big role in it,” Bowens said. “We were able to really have a detailed and honest conversation with each other. We both felt like it would be a good fit.”
After the conversation, Bowens committed. Karschnia, as he is known to do, tweeted his signature ‘eruption’ GIF accompanied by the hashtag ‘ComingHome.'
“My goal, like anybody’s goal, is to be a contributor,” Bowens said. “I feel like, me coming from the background that I came from, my goal is to be a leader.”
Not nearly an unfamiliar face in the locker room, Bowens will step confidently into the Chippewas’ atmosphere upon arriving on campus. He provides a stable presence with Power Five experience in the defensive backfield.
He says he’ll transition back to corner, where he feels most comfortable. His position change is the perfect metaphor for his transfer destination. After two years at safety, he’s going back to his roots. In similar fashion, football has taken him from Michigan to Iowa and back again.
Back to his friendship with Pimpleton, to training sessions with McCoy and his bond with Karschnia.
Back to his roots.
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