Lee Owens (born July 17, 1956) is a former American football coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Akron from 1995 to 2003 and Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio from 2004 to 2022, compiled a career college football coaching record of 177–122. Between 1981 and 1991, he was the head football coach at four high schools in Ohio and then an assistant coach at Ohio State University from 1992 to 1994. Owens directed the Galion Tigers to the D-II Ohio State Championship in 1985. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Bluffton College in 1977.
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 16, 1956 |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1977 | Waynesfield-Goshen HS (OH) (assistant) |
| 1978–1980 | Ashland Crestview HS (OH) (assistant) |
| 1981–1982 | Ashland Crestview HS (OH) |
| 1983–1986 | Galion HS (OH) |
| 1987 | Lancaster HS (OH) |
| 1988–1991 | Massillon Washington HS (OH) |
| 1992–1994 | Ohio State (TE/OT) |
| 1995–2003 | Akron |
| 2004–2022 | Ashland |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 177–122 (college) 89–32–6 (high school) |
| Tournaments | 3–6 (NCAA D-II playoffs) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 1 MAC East Division (2000) 1 GLIAC (2017) 3 GLIAC South Division (2012, 2015–2016) 1 GMAC (2022) | |
| Awards | |
| 4× GLIAC Coach of the Year (2005, 2012, 2015, 2017) | |
Head coaching record
editHigh school
edit| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crestview Cougars () (1981–1982) | |||||||||
| 1981 | Crestview | 10–0 | |||||||
| 1982 | Crestview | 4–5–1 | |||||||
| Crestview: | 14–5–1 | ||||||||
| Galion Tigers () (1983–1986) | |||||||||
| 1983 | Galion | 3–7 | |||||||
| 1984 | Galion | 7–2–1 | |||||||
| 1985 | Galion | 14–0 | |||||||
| 1986 | Galion | 9–2 | |||||||
| Galion: | 33–11–1 | ||||||||
| Lancaster Golden Gales () (1987) | |||||||||
| 1987 | Lancaster | 7–3 | |||||||
| Lancaster: | 7–3 | ||||||||
| Massillon Washington Tigers () (1988–1991) | |||||||||
| 1988 | Massillon Washington | 7–3 | |||||||
| 1989 | Massillon Washington | 10–3 | |||||||
| 1990 | Massillon Washington | 8–4 | |||||||
| 1991 | Massillon Washington | 10–3 | |||||||
| Massillon Washington: | 35–13 | ||||||||
| Total: | 89–32–6 | ||||||||
College
edit| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | AFCA# | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akron Zips (Mid-American Conference) (1995–2003) | |||||||||
| 1995 | Akron | 2–9 | 2–6 | T–7th | |||||
| 1996 | Akron | 4–7 | 3–5 | T–6th | |||||
| 1997 | Akron | 2–9 | 2–7 | 6th (East) | |||||
| 1998 | Akron | 4–7 | 3–6 | 5th (East) | |||||
| 1999 | Akron | 7–4 | 5–3 | T–3rd (East) | |||||
| 2000 | Akron | 6–5 | 5–3 | T–1st (East) | |||||
| 2001 | Akron | 4–7 | 4–4 | 5th (East) | |||||
| 2002 | Akron | 4–8 | 3–5 | 5th (East) | |||||
| 2003 | Akron | 7–5 | 5–3 | 3rd (East) | |||||
| Akron: | 40–61 | 32–42 | |||||||
| Ashland Eagles (Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (2004–2021) | |||||||||
| 2004 | Ashland | 5–6 | 4–6 | T–7th | |||||
| 2005 | Ashland | 9–2 | 8–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 2006 | Ashland | 4–6 | 4–6 | 9th | |||||
| 2007 | Ashland | 8–2 | 8–1 | 2nd | L NCAA Division II First Round | 22 | |||
| 2008 | Ashland | 9–4 | 8–2 | 2nd | L NCAA Division II Second Round | 15 | |||
| 2009 | Ashland | 6–5 | 6–4 | T–5th | |||||
| 2010 | Ashland | 8–3 | 7–3 | 3rd (South) | |||||
| 2011 | Ashland | 6–5 | 6–4 | T–3rd (South) | |||||
| 2012 | Ashland | 11–1 | 10–0 | 1st (South) | L NCAA Division II Second Round | 9 | |||
| 2013 | Ashland | 5–5 | 5–4 | 3rd (South) | |||||
| 2014 | Ashland | 8–2 | 8–2 | 2nd (South) | |||||
| 2015 | Ashland | 10–1 | 10–0 | 1st (South) | L NCAA Division II First Round | 10 | |||
| 2016 | Ashland | 9–2 | 7–2 | 1st (South) | 19 | ||||
| 2017 | Ashland | 11–2 | 9–0 | 1st | L NCAA Division II Second Round | 10 | |||
| 2018 | Ashland | 6–4 | 6–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 2019 | Ashland | 7–4 | 6–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 2020–21 | No team—COVID-19 | ||||||||
| Ashland Eagles (Great Midwest Athletic Conference) (2021–2022) | |||||||||
| 2021 | Ashland | 5–5 | 4–3 | T–4th | |||||
| 2022 | Ashland | 10–2 | 7–1 | 1st | L NCAA Division II Second Round | 13 | |||
| Ashland: | 137–61 | 123–44 | |||||||
| Total: | 177–122 | ||||||||