Farmer retires after one season leading Bowie football program

Bowie is engaging in a head football coach and athletic director for the second time in less than a year.

Hugh Farmer submitted his retirement paperwork to Bowie ISD on Monday morning, bringing an abbreviated end to his time with the Jackrabbits.

Bowie superintendent Blake Enlow confirmed Farmer’s decision to retire. Farmer did not respond to calls and texts inquiring on the situation. News of Farmer's departure was first reported by Dave Campbell's Texas Football's Matt Stepp.

Farmer was hired in March 2022 after a successful eight-year stint at Seymour. Bowie went 1-9 in his lone season with the program, although the general sentiment is Farmer had the Rabbits going in the right direction.

Farmer increased the number of athletes participating in football, and three of the Rabbits’ losses came by three points or less.

Farmer’s first head coaching job was in Frederick, Oklahoma. He took over the Olney program in 2013, staying for a season before going to Seymour. He spent eight years leading the Panthers, posting a 55-38 record, winning three district titles and qualifying for the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons.

His 55 wins are the most in Seymour program history behind only Marshall Gerhart who accrued 62 wins in 10 seasons from 1951-60.

Farmer was hired to replace Cory Mandrell, who stepped down in March 2022 after going 6-24 in three seasons.

This will be the fifth time in program history the Jackrabbits will have a third different head coach in just as many seasons. The last time it occurred was from 1998 to 2000.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Hugh Farmer retires after one season leading Bowie football program