Jacob Bower feels right at home in his role as starting quarterback for the Bakersfield College football team.
There are several reasons Bower decided to come to Bakersfield to play for the Renegades, but the deciding factor is that he has family close by.
“I was directed by some very good coaches to look at junior colleges in the Southern California area, and there are some really good ones – basically I thought BC was the best fit for me. I really like the Bakersfield area and Coach (Carl) Dean’s coaching philosophy,” Bower said.
“My brother Greg lives in Porterville, so I have family just up the road,” said Bower.
Bower, 22, a transfer from Brigham Young University, grew up on a farm in Boise, Idaho. He prepped at Mountain View High School before attending BYU. He is the youngest of six boys and comes from a very athletic family.
“My dad played football and ran track for BYU,” Bower said. “Two of my brothers played basketball for Division I schools, one played for BYU and the other for the University of Wisconsin. I could have played basketball on a scholarship from high school, but I chose to play football for BYU.”
The 6-foot-4, 235-pound freshman quarterback said that playing for BC is very comparable to playing for a Division I school like BYU.
“The lifting program at BYU was different with four or five coaches and a full-time lifting system,” he said, “but we condition harder at BC with running and workout drills.”
While at BYU, Bower’s mentor was first-string quarterback John Beck. Beck was the second-round draft pick of the Miami Dolphins.
“I saw all the things that he did to be successful and I learned a lot from him. I have talked to him since he was drafted and he might get the start for the Dolphins,” Bower said.
Bower, his coaches, teammates and family have mutual respect and support for one another.
“My family drives from Idaho every week to watch me play. They are die-hards,” he said. “My brother lives close by, so they stay with him.”
Bower has impressed teammates and coaches because he is a student of the game and works hard to prepare for opposing defenses by watching hours of game film.
The hard work has definitely paid off for him as he has helped to lead the No 1-ranked Renegades to a whopping 110-13 points advantage in the last two weeks.
“Bower is doing well,” said Jeff Chudy, BC head coach. “He is very poised and makes good decisions and has great leadership abilities.”
Offensive coach Carl Dean echoed Chudy’s sentiments. “Bower has fit in real well with the team and everybody in the community. He is doing a good job of taking care of the football and not turning it over, which is what we ask him to do.”
Bower attributes offensive success to BC’s core of dynamic receivers.
“They are studs, and they are fast,” he said. “Attrail Snipes, Brandon Banks, Dashan Miller and Seth Damron have amazing abilities and each one of them has unbelievable strengths.”
Snipes credits offensive chemistry to working hard during the summer. “Bower and I spent our summer working out three times a week.”
Bower said he is thinking of majoring in history or liberal arts but hasn’t ruled out the agriculture or forestry fields. He is also considering becoming a high school teacher and or coach. His goals should be attainable as he carries a 3.0 GPA.
When Bower isn’t in class or involved with football, he enjoys camping or fishing. He has enjoyed watching a few high school games on Friday nights as well.
“Bakersfield has so many amazing high school athletes. The talent level is about 10 times better than Idaho or Utah,” he said.
As far as his football career, Bower’s dream is to play football as long as he can.
“I would like to play in the National Football League or Canadian league when I finish college, and I will play until my body can’t take it anymore.”