Dan Owen enters his fourth season as Defensive Coordinator for the Presbyterian College football program. Since joining the Blue Hose in 2022, Owen has led a steady and impactful transformation of the defensive unit.
The 2024 season marked a turning point for the Blue Hose defense. Owen’s unit delivered multiple first-half shutouts and played a pivotal role in securing back-to-back conference wins for the first time since Presbyterian joined the Pioneer Football League. A standout performance came in a 28–7 victory over Dayton, where the defense allowed just 38 total yards in the first half and forced four turnovers. The Blue Hose ended the season ranked 18th in the country for total defense with 314 yards per game.
Owen’s defense has recorded two shutouts during his tenure: a dominant showing against Virginia-Lynchburg in 2024, allowing only 72 total yards and -4 rushing yards. His first conference shutout came in 2025 against Morehead State, a 41–0 rout where the defense forced five turnovers, allowed zero passing yards in the first quarter, and held the Eagles to just 277 total yards. Six of Morehead’s nine first-half drives ended in either an interception, fumble, or turnover on downs.
Under Owen’s leadership, several defensive players have earned All-PFL honors. Linebacker Alex Herriott became the first player in PC’s Division I history to lead the team in tackles for four consecutive seasons, finishing his career with 368 total tackles, 30 tackles for loss, and 11 sacks. Defensive back Caleb Francis currently holds the program’s Division I record for career interceptions with nine, surpassing Blue Hose legends Justin Bethel and Ed Britt.
Owen came to the Blue Hose after spending the 2021 season working with the safeties and punt/punt return units at North Carolina Central. That season, the Eagles posted their first winning record in four years, and Owen mentored All-American punt returner Brandon Codrington, who currently plays in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills.
In the spring of 2021, Owen served as a special teams analyst at Florida Atlantic, assisting with practice planning, installation, and game prep for both special teams and outside linebackers. In 2020, he was a defensive graduate assistant at East Carolina, working primarily with safeties and overseeing the SAM and Nickel positions.
**Prior to his time at the FBS level, Owen spent two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Keiser University, where he also served as special teams coordinator in 2019. In Keiser’s inaugural season, his defense ranked 22nd nationally in scoring and total defense, and 13th in takeaways. The following year, Keiser went 9–0 and won a division championship, with Owen’s defense ranking third in total pass defense and producing multiple all-conference selections, including a defensive player of the year.
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Owen spent time at Florida Tech as the cornerbacks coach, wideouts coach and special teams coordinator over five years with the Panthers. In 2015 & 2016 Manny Abad was selected 1st Team all Gulf South. Florida Tech reached the 1st round of Playoffs in just its 4th year with an 8-3 record. During the 2016 season, the defense ranked 22nd in scoring defense with 20.0 points per game. In 2017 his special teams unit blocked five kicks and averaged 11.1 yards per return.
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In his playing career, he spent time at Los Angeles Valley College and Florida Tech. He received the Jason Leonard Coaches Award that is given to a player that exemplied most what it meant to be an LA Valley Monarch by his commitment, leadership and attitude. He also received the AAA award for best demonstrating commitment to his academics, ability and attitude.
Owen and his wife, Katie, have one daughter, Andie.
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