Archie Owen

Archie Owen was an American football player, coach and educator who became one of the most successful high school football coaches in Evansville, Indiana history. He is best known for his 23 seasons as head football coach at Benjamin Bosse High School, where he established a school record with 111 victories.

Reitz High School

Owen attended F.J. Reitz High School, graduating in 1947.

As a football player, Owen was a member of legendary Reitz coach Herman Byers’ first undefeated team in 1946. The experience began a lifelong association with Evansville football that would eventually take Owen from playing for one of the city’s most successful programs to coaching one of its biggest rivals.

Evansville College

Following high school, Owen attended Evansville College, now the University of Evansville, and graduated in 1951.

Owen continued his athletic career at Evansville College and later became closely associated with the university. His accomplishments eventually earned him induction into the University of Evansville Athletics Hall of Fame.

Coaching Career

Owen began his coaching career in the Evansville school system and was part of an influential generation of local football coaches.

During the late 1950s, Owen served as an assistant coach at North High School under Morris Riley. That staff became known as a “cradle” of Evansville football coaches and included future Indiana Football Hall of Fame coaches Owen, Riley, Don Watson and Ed Wessel.

In 1961, Owen became head football coach at Bosse High School.

He remained Bosse’s head coach through 1983, compiling a career record of 111-99-13. His 111 victories remain a Bosse school record.

Owen’s Bulldogs won eight Evansville city championships, multiple Southern Indiana Athletic Conference championships and completed an undefeated season in 1967.

He was named Coach of the Year seven times during his career and also served as an assistant coach in the 1974 Indiana North-South All-Star Game.

Owen taught in the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation for approximately three decades, influencing generations of Evansville students and athletes.

Hall of Fame and Legacy

Owen was inducted into the Indiana Football Coaches Hall of Fame and the University of Evansville Athletics Hall of Fame. He was also posthumously inducted into the EVSC Hall of Fame.

His impact on Evansville football continued through his family. His son, Mike Owen, became a longtime Evansville coach and served as head football coach at Central High School. His grandson, Andy Owen, also became Central’s head football coach.

Owen’s impact at Bosse was permanently recognized when the school’s historic football stadium was renamed Owen Stadium in his honor. The playing surface retained the historic Enlow Field name.

From playing on an undefeated team at Reitz High School, to attending Evansville College, to becoming Bosse’s winningest football coach, Archie Owen spent much of his life helping shape the tradition of high school athletics in Evansville.