Louisville's Richard Owens Joins Alabama Football Coaching Staff

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Alabama head football coach Kalen DeBoer on Monday announced the hiring of veteran assistant Richard Owens as the Crimson Tide’s new tight ends coach.

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Owens brings 16 seasons of collegiate coaching experience to Tuscaloosa, including stints coaching tight ends, offensive line and wide receivers, along with offensive coordinator and run game coordinator roles.

“Richard Owens possesses a diverse skillset and knowledge for the game that he has grown over time as both a player and coach,” DeBoer said. “His background will allow him to contribute to not only the success of our tight ends but also to our offense as a whole.”

Owens joins Alabama's staff after three seasons at Louisville, his alma mater, where he coached the Cardinals’ offensive line from 2023-25.

Louisville went 28-12 during his tenure and produced nine All-ACC offensive linemen, including 2023 Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner Bryan Hudson.

Prior to his time on the coaching staff at his alma mater, Owens served as offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Georgia Southern in 2022 and spent three seasons directing UAB’s offensive line from 2019-21.

Owens' 2021 UAB unit helped the Blazers average nearly 400 yards per game and cap a nine-win season with an Independence Bowl victory over No. 13 BYU. The 2020 line allowed just four sacks all season, the fourth-fewest nationally, as UAB captured the Conference USA West Division title.

“There’s no greater stage in college football than the SEC,” Owens said. “I’m honored to join Coach DeBoer’s staff and work alongside a tremendous group of colleagues.”

A 2004 Louisville graduate, Owens was a three-year starting tight end for the Cardinals before a six-year NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams and New York Jets. He appeared in 53 NFL games from 2004-09 and served as a Vikings special teams captain in 2005.

Owens and his wife, Tina, have one daughter, Rylan.

Financial terms of the appointment remain subject to approval by the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees.

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