Miami University head football coach Chuck Martin has announced the addition of three assistant coaches to his staff. Joining Martin are Robert Blanton (cornerbacks), Joe Bowen (linebackers) and Jacob Bronowski (special teams).
ROBERT BLANTON — CORNERBACKS
Blanton, who had a six-year NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings and Buffalo Bills, will coach cornerbacks for the RedHawks. He comes to Oxford after spending the past two years as the Defensive Backs Coach at Benilde St. Margaret High School. In his spare time, Blanton also worked with the NFL Flag Youth Football organization.
His NFL career began as a fifth round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2012 NFL Draft. Blanton was with the Vikings from 2012-15 and also spent time with the Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys. Blanton, who was a team captain for both the Vikings and Bills, played in 72 career games. His best year came in 2014, leading Minnesota in tackles with 106.
Blanton, a four-year member of the Fighting Irish football team, graduated from Notre Dame with a business degree in 2012 and completed his MBA in finance from the University of Miami in 2016.
JOE BOWEN — LINEBACKERS
Miami graduate, Joe Bowen, has been named the Linebackers Coach for the Miami University football team. Bowen served as Miami’s defensive graduate assistant for the 2015-16 seasons, coaching with the defensive backs. Bowen served as an offensive intern from 2013-15 and as a student assistant from 2011-13.
Bowen most recently spent the 2021 season at South Carolina as a defensive graduate assistant, coaching with the linebackers and special teams units. In Bowen’s lone season at South Carolina, they led the SEC in turnovers with 24 while having the best total defense and scoring defense the school has had since 2013. The Gamecock defense finished 1st in the SEC and 7th nationally in pass yards allowed per game.
Prior to that, Bowen was a defensive analyst and defensive graduate assistant at Florida State for three seasons. Bowen coached with inside linebackers in 2018 and 2020, and moved to outside linebackers in 2019.
Bowen spent the 2017 season at Michigan State as a defensive graduate assistant/Assistant LB Coach. While at Michigan State, Bowen coached in a defense that finished among the best in the country with the 2nd ranked Rushing Defense, 7th ranked Total Defense, and 18th ranked 3rd Down Defense nationally. The 2017 Spartans yielded an average of only 95.31 yards per game on the ground.
Bowen has coached and worked with a handful of recent defensive NFL draft selections, including first round pick Brian Burns, second round pick Asante Samuel Jr., fourth round picks Janarius Robinson and Josh Kaindoh, sicth round pick Hamsah Nasirildeen and current NFL active roster linebackers Joe Bachie and Andrew Dowell.
A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Bowen graduated from Miami University in 2015 with a degree in Finance from the Farmer School of Business and a minor in coaching from the kinesiology department. He graduated with his Master’s of Science degree in kinesiology and health in 2017 from Miami, with a focus on Sports Leadership and Administration. He and his wife Colette were married in February of 2021.
JACOB BRONOWSKI — SPECIAL TEAMS COACH
Miami University head football coach Chuck Martin has announced the addition of Jacob Bronowski as the RedHawks Special Teams Coordinator. Bronowski comes to Miami after spending the past year at Tennessee as its Special Teams Analyst.
With the Vols, Bronowski’s units finished 6th in the nation in punt return defense, 21st in net punting average, 14th in punt return average and 12th in kick return average. While in Knoxville the Vols were one of only two teams in FBS to finish in the top 15 in both punt return and kickoff return average, and to have blocked two-plus punts. Bronowski mentored Velus Jones Jr., the 2021 SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Year and first-team all SEC Return Specialist. Tennessee received a birth to the Music City Bowl.
Prior to joining Tennessee Bronowski spent time at Central Florida (Special Teams Quality Control, 2020). While in Orlando the Knights finished with their best net punt finish and kickoff return average under Josh Heupel’s three years at UCF in Bronowski’s one year there. Bronowski mentored the 2021 Patrick Mannelly Award Finalist Alex Ward. The Knights received a berth to play in the Boca Raton Bowl.
Prior to his time at Central Florida Bronowski coached at Robert Morris (Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends, 2018-19). While in Moon Township the Colonials won more games in that two year stretch than the previous eight years combined, in 2019 winning seven games marking it the highest win total in 10 years. In 2019 Bronowski’s special teams units finished 11th in all of FCS in blocked punts (3), and finished top in NEC play in punt return defense, blocked punts, and kickoff return defense. He mentored 2018 second-team All-American/first-team All NEC (’18/’19) TE Matthew Gonzalez and 2019 first-team All NEC kicker Nick Bisceglia.
Bronowski started his coaching career at The University of New Mexico (Special Teams Graduate Assistant/WR/QB, 2016-17). In Bronowski’s final season with the Lobos their special teams’ units finished eighth in net punt nationally, second in punt average nationally and fourth in kickoff return defense nationally. While in Albuquerque the Lobos went to two bowl games and won their first bowl game in 10 years when claiming the Gildan New Mexico Bowl in 2016 against UTSA. He mentored current NFL All-Pro kicker Jason Sanders (Miami Dolphins) and Corey Bojorquez (Green Bay Packers).
Bronowski a native of College Station, Texas, played quarterback at New Mexico in 2013, and also spent time as a special teams student assistant with the Lobos in 2014-16 before completing his degree in liberal arts in 2016.
Bronowski and his wife Stacey, have one son Brody and are expecting their second son in May of 2022.
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