I played for him at Marion during his first season as head coach and his second when Marion won eight ball games. I never saw a coach who worked harder. By Saturday morning he had already had the game from the night before scouted and would have players scouting sheets.We would of went to war with him, that's how much respect he received. Some did not like him at Marion, that is true. But he played the best kids. Their parents didn't matter. We were there to win. "There is no substitute for victory" He always said it was really hard to ask the players to work hard if the coaches wont. Coaches job is to do everything in their power to make sure the kids have everything they need to win. His first year at Abingdon, they did not have scrimmage which set them back. the second year Bowles wouldn't try to find one and Coach Briscoe got Abingdon a scrimmage. The record that second year was better.