Seth McGowan (Vicky Graff Photo)
Seth McGowan was a big-time recruit when he started his collegiate football career at Oklahoma only to have his career derailed by a felony conviction.
He had 571 yards rushing and four touchdowns his freshman season in 2020 but in April of 2021 he was involved with two teammates in a robbery and he eventually pleaded guilty to larceny of a person at nighttime. He spent three months in jail before being released on probation.
He was kicked off the team at Oklahoma and did not have any takers when he entered the transfer portal. He went to Texas College, a NAIA school, and then went to Butler Community College in 2023.
McGowan ended up at New Mexico State in 2024 and had 152 carries for 823 yards and three scores. He had 14 carries for 75 yards against Texas A&M. He debated staying at New Mexico State but transferred in the late spring portal period and found a new home at Kentucky.
“I had to learn to become being just fine with myself,” McGowan said at UK’s Media Day. “The biggest form of self love is discipline. Honestly, not giving yourself an option other than the option of success and prosperity. You want to pay great attention and detail to that.”
He said not playing one season and being home with his father gave him time to reflect on who he was and what he wanted to do.
“I had to step fully into what I had been. I just wasn’t confident at the time. Now I feel like I have shown that (I have changed). I think everyone who has experienced me since then (at Oklahoma) and what I am all I am about knows that. I just have to keep grinding and pushing.”
He admitted how difficult his journey had been and that his faith helped him realize “worrying doesn’t do anything for anybody” and he had to change.
“The way that I was living was not sustainable. 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 helped me get back on the right path,” McGowan said.
He had two connections at Kentucky. Running backs coach Jay Boulware was at Oklahoma when McGowan played there. Offensive lineman Shiyazh Pete transferred from New Mexico State to Kentucky in January after blocking for McGowan last season.
“Coach Boulware always checked up on me even when I wasn’t playing,” McGowan said.
McGowan had watched a lot of Kentucky running backs. He was a “huge” fan of Lynn Bowden. He liked what Ray Davis did.
Kentucky had already added Nebraska transfer Dante Dowdell but that did not worry McGowan because he shared snaps at New Mexico State in 2024.
“It’ll start with these two big backs we brought in,” Kentucky offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan said about McGowan and Dowdell. “Certainly, from a physicality standpoint… you’ll see their big, thick, strong backs.”
3 Responses
I like this guy's attitude. He knows he messed up. He didnt try to deny that it happened. He owned up to and served his time. I think once someone serves there time. It shouldn't be held over there head for the rest of there life. People deserve chances life is hard. Especially if you were dealt a bad hand. I remember when he played for Oklahoma. Everyone was comparing him to Adrian Peterson. Also a big back that was built like a linebacker. Adrian Peterson is one of the top 5 running backs of all time. If he is even half as great as Peterson he will have tons of success at Kentucky. Mark Stoops loves power running backs. Backs that even with no hole is still going to churn out 3-5 yards. He loves keeping the sticks moving and clock control. I just hope we speed up pur play calling. We were last in college football last year in plays ran and time to run plays. We do this to give the defense a rest. If the offense could even just be average some years we would have a great team. Last year the defense held Georgia to the least amount of points they scored all year. If you remember correctly Mark Stoops had 3-4 head scratching decisions in the last 3-4 minutes of the game. If he would have gambled even just a little bit we could have pulled off the upset last year. We will knock off a top 10 team this year. Maybe 2 times. In football when we are considered a cellar dweller we always make something happen. When we are considered a middle of the pack team we always revert back to old ways and jump back in the cellar. This year everyone will think they are going to destroy Kentucky and will look to later dates on the schedule only to be embarrassed by Kentucky. I guarantee a bowl game. Anything more than that is just icing on the cake.
I think I like this guy. I certainly don't know him personally but from what I have read he has the, very rare, opportunity to recount his past and move on in a successful way. Most kids that make those mistakes either don't have the maturity to change or get the opportunity change. If he can stay within himself as success comes his way, I think I will end up liking him. Ray Davis is quite a role model. There will be more challenges for Seth as he moves forward. Life is not easy.
I hope Seth does well for himself, his family and UK.
Coach Stoops needs to gather his team and watch Toledo completely dismantle MSU – cowbells and all. Beat two D-1 teams and made a mockery of an SEC team. Bitch slapped the MAC. Woudnt be as big an upset as NIU beating ND in South Bend to kick off the FB season. Hold on to your jock straps gentlemen – I ain’t consuming the Kool Aid this year 🤷♂️. There’s a reason some betting sites call it single digit spread.