Greg Bower, who has served as the University of Minnesota Duluth's special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach for the past five seasons, is the new defensive coordinator at Loras (Iowa) College.

Since signing on with the UMD football staff on Jan. 14, 2013, Bower had mentored eight All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference defensive backs as well as placekicker/punter Andrew Brees and return specialist Beau Bofferding. In 2016, Bowers' kick return unit averaged 25.8 yards per return -- the second best mark in NCAA Division II football.

" We appreciate the hard work Coach Bower has dedicated to our program, " said UMD head coach Curt Wiese, who hired Bower. "We wish him the best at Loras College."

A national search for Bower's replacement will begin immediately.