Football
- Title:
- Offensive Coordinator
- Email:
- football@kent.edu
- Phone:
- 330-672-3350
Andrew Sowder joined Kent State in January of 2018 as offensive coordinator. He has also worked with quarterbacks and tight ends during his time with the Golden Flashes.
The 2021 season was Sowder's fourth year leading the Golden Flashes offense. He helped the Flashes achieve a 7-7 record, including a berth in the MAC Championship and the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. His offense put up at least 30 points in all but one regular season MAC game. The rushing attack was first or tied for first in the MAC for yards, yards per rush, touchdowns and yards per game. The offense as a whole led the MAC in total yards, yards per game and touchdowns. Quarterback Dustin Crum excelled in Sowder's offense, winning the Vern Smith Leadership Award (given to the best player in the MAC) being named to the All-MAC First Team for the second year in a row. Wide receiver Dante Cephas also earned an All-MAC First Team selection. Three other members of the Flashes offense were All-MAC selections: running back Marquez Cooper and offensive linemen Bill Kuduk and Nathan Monnin. It was the second straight All-MAC selection for Kuduk and Monnin.
When compared to other programs across the nation in 2021, Sowder's offense continues to stand out. The Flashes ranked third in the nation for rushing offense and first down offense, while ranking fourth in the nation for total offense. The Flashes offense also took care of the football, ranking 15th nationally in turnovers lost. That helped the Flashes put up the third best turnover ratio in the nation. Sowder's offense in 2021 was one of the best, if not the best in Kent State history, setting records for total offense and passing yards.
In 2020, Sowder’s third year managing the Golden Flashes offense, he helped Kent State achieve a 3-1 record in the shortened season. The Flashes averaged the most total yards per game in the entire MAC at 606.5. They also led the conference in average points scored per game with 49.8. Four Kent State players earned All-MAC honors, and they were all on the offensive side of the ball and under Sowder’s watch: quarterback Dustin Crum, wide receiver Isaiah McKoy, and offensive linemen Bill Kuduk and Nathan Monnin. Crum and McKoy were both named to the first team.
Sowder's second year at the helm of the Kent State offense was one to be remembered, in large part to the emergence of Dustin Crum. The rising star quarterback threw for 2,625 yards, completing 69 percent of his pass attempts, throwing for 20 touchdowns and only two interceptions. Crum ranked 11th in the country in passing efficiency and was the only quarterback in the country to throw for more than 20 touchdowns with two or fewer interceptions.
The Golden Flashes and Crum continued their offensive dominance with a 50-burger in the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl. The 51-41 victory earned Kent State its first ever bowl win. Crum was 21-for-26 with 289 yards and two touchdowns through the air, while adding another 147 yards and a touchdown on the ground. The historic offense totaled 550 yards in the game.
The offense is not only lighting it up on the field, but also cementing themselves in the Kent State history books. The Golden Flashes' offense averaged 405.6 yards per game, which ranks third in program history. The 905 plays ran also rank third all-time. The 2,849 passing yards rank second in Kent State history and the 42 total touchdowns ranks fifth.
The Flashes' offense put two wide receivers on the all-MAC third team, Isaiah McKoy and Mike Carrigan. McKoy led the Flashes with 56 receptions, 872 yards and eight touchdowns, cracking the top-10 in program history in all three categories. McKoy also led the Mid-American Conference with 72.7 yards per game as well as touchdowns. Carrigan caught 44 balls for 570 yards and five touchdowns.
In his first year as offensive coordinator at Kent State, Sowder saw an increase of 11.2 points per game from the previous season, and a massive 108.4 yards per game jump. The 383.3 yards per game is the fifth most in program history and he oversaw first year quarterback Woody Barrett complete 229 passes, the most in school history.
Sowder came to Kent by way of San Jose State where he served as the team’s offensive coordinator and tight ends coach in 2017, implementing the spread offense. Prior to San Jose State, Sowder was at the University of Texas for one season as an offensive quality control coach, working primarily with the wide receivers.
Prior to Texas, Sowder spent four seasons alongside Kent State head coach Sean Lewis at Bowling Green (2014-15) and Eastern Illinois (2012-13) under Dino Babers.
As Bowling Green’s wide receivers coach, Sowder helped the Falcons to back-to-back MAC East Division titles, a 2014 Camellia Bowl win and the 2015 MAC Championship. He also served as director of player personnel and recruiting coordinator for the Falcons in 2014. In 2015, Bowling Green ranked fourth in the nation in total offense (546.8) and sixth in scoring offense (42.2 ppg). All-American wide receiver Roger Lewis finished second in the nation in receiving yards (1,544) and third in touchdown catches (16).
In 2012 and 2013, Eastern Illinois won back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference championships while Sowder served as wide receivers coach. Eastern Illinois was the FCS national leader in total offense in 2013 after ranking seventh in 2012.
Prior to Eastern Illinois, Sowder coached running backs at West Texas A&M in 2011. The Buffs won the Kanza Bowl and ranked 14th in the nation in total offense.
A 2011 Baylor University graduate, Sowder majored in digital media. His coaching career began as a student assistant on Art Briles staff in 2009. In 2010, the Bears played in the Texas Bowl, the program’s first postseason appearance in 16 years.
As a player at Baylor, Sowder was both a wide receiver and tight end in 2007 and 2008.
Sowder grew up in Shallowater, Texas. He married his wife Shawna in May of 2021.
