In 2019, as a high schooler, Seth McGowan committed to Oklahoma as a promising four-star running back prospect over the likes of Alabama and Georgia.
As a true freshman in Norman, McGowan ran for 370 yards on 6.4 yards per carry and three touchdowns. In addition to catching 13 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown, as the Sooners defeated Oregon in the Alamo Bowl.
After an aspiring freshman campaign McGowan nearly lost everything.
On an April day in 2021, McGowan and two Oklahoma teammates reportedly stole marijuana, jewelry, expensive clothing and cash from an apartment in Norman, with one player in possession of a gun.
Weeks following the incident, McCowan was charged with robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon by the Cleveland County District Court in Oklahoma.
The running back was dismissed from the Sooners.
McGowan reportedly pleaded guilty to felony larceny from a person at nighttime on Dec. 13. Ultimately, leading to the other charges being dropped.
However, McGowan served three months of jail time, and he received one year of probation.
“Yeah, it was difficult, I think at some point, I’m facing, like, 70 years,” McGowan said. “It’s kind of hard for a sane person to look at that and be like, ‘no, no, that’s not the case…’ But, you know, man, at the end of the day, I’m a man of faith, and I know that worrying doesn’t do anything for anybody.”
Less than a year removed from a solid freshman season at Oklahoma, McGowan was out of football entirely.
“I think the way that I was at the time and the way that I was living was not sustainable,” McGowan said. “It was not a sustainable way, and that wasn’t a way that, you know, at the time, I was too immature to see that, but obviously having a lot of time to reflect, and a little bit a spiritual freedom to kind of explore myself, explore life.”
After missing the 2022 season, McGowan returned to football at Butler Community College in Kansas.
It appeared that McGowan’s days of playing Division I football were behind him. However, McGowan kept connections from his time as a recruit, which landed him in contact with the running backs coach at New Mexico State, David Cobb.
For the first time in three years, McGowan returned to playing Division I football, but this time in a darker shade of red for the New Mexico State of Conference USA.
In Las Cruces, the 6-foot-1 back flashed with 813 rushing yards on a 5.3 yards per carry and three touchdowns on the ground. McGowan displayed himself as a dynamic back by catching 23 passes for 277 yards for a team-best three receiving touchdowns.
“I learned from that whole time and be able to apply it to every team (I’ve played for), that’s what I’ve enjoyed about and it’s made all of this worth it,” McGowan said. “
I feel like, you know, I haven’t even gotten a chance to really display everything that I’m able to do (yet).”
In McGowan’s lone season at New Mexico State, he was named 2024 Second Team All-CUSA Offense and 2024 College Football Network Third Team All-CUSA.
After a successful 2024 campaign, McGowan entered the transfer portal for a shot at the NFL by playing for a Power Four program. McGowan was influenced by his connection with Kentucky’s running back coach Jay Boulware, who assisted the recruit for him as a high schooler at Oklahoma.
“It was big, (Boulware) checked up on me a lot throughout the years, even when I wasn’t playing… and when he wasn’t even coaching ball,” McGowan said. “
So, that mattered a lot to me and my family.”
Additionally, McGowan followed his New Mexico State teammate and friend Shiyazh Pete in the transfer portal to Kentucky. Pete, a 6-foot-8 offensive lineman, as a four-star transfer.
As a running back, McGowan was inspired by the previous Wildcat backs before him, who made it into the NFL.
“I’ve always just seen Kentucky highlights, over my life over my lifetime, just been noticing, like, ‘Damn, that’s a new running back.
That’s a new running back,’” McGowan said. “I was a huge Lynn Bowden fan as well, and I was a big fan of what Ray Davis was able to do a couple years ago. It wasn’t until I really got here, and I was like, ‘Holy cow, you know, this is a place for me.’”
Now, in Lexington, McGowan will share snaps with a deep Kentucky backfield that includes Nebraska transfer Dante Dowdell and returning talent Jason Patterson and Jamarion Wilcox.
This remains as a situation McGowan is familiar with as he primarily split touches with current Arkansas Razorback Mike Washington at New Mexico State. McGowan received 152 attempts, which made up for roughly 43% of carries by Aggie running backs.
“
I think it’s gonna be phenomenal, I think we’re very balanced because,” McGowan said of his tandem with Dowdell. “Most people look at us as speed and power, but Dante’s not a slow dude. When he gets his speed up, he can fly…. I’m still coming 220 (pounds), I’m lowering my head. I got a lot of pop to me, too.”
As a sophomore at Nebraska, Dowdell scored 12 rushing touchdowns, the most by a Cornhusker running back since 2018.
Kentucky is a traditionally strong rushing program with recent talent such as Davis, Chris Rodgriuez, and Benny Snell Jr., becoming NFL-bound in recent years. So, expectations for the newly formed duo are high.
“It’ll start with these two big backs we brought in,” Kentucky offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan said. “Certainly, from a physicality standpoint… you’ll see their big, thick, strong backs.”
The Wildcat offensive backfield has completely reshaped from last season, not only because of McGowan and Dowdell’s addition but also their new quarterback Zach Clazada, from Incarnate Word. Calzada, a fifth-year senior, previously played at Texas A&M and Auburn.
“They’re both awesome, I think the mentality they come with everyday is the biggest thing that stands out to me,” Clazada said. “Dowdell’s a really big, hard runner, and Seth’s a quick, but also hard runner.”
Calzada added that some plays will feature both Dowdell and McGowan in the backfield.
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