HARRISONBURG— After being fired by ex-James Madison football coach Everett Withers last month, John Bowers eventually got around to packing up his 2009 Volkswagen Jetta and started driving.

What followed was a five-day, 2,700-mile trip that took him to his family’s home in Seattle where his wife, Joanne, coaches gymnastics at the University of Washington. Yes, Bowers – a two-year assistant under Withers – was suddenly just another unemployed coach.

Last week, he began looking for work, driving five hours to California, working any connection he could. He was scheduled to interview for the vacant University of California Davis outside linebackers assistant-coaching position when he got a phone call from JMU athletic director Jeff Bourne.

The Dukes wanted him back.

“Have I ever heard of this happening? No, but that’s the great thing about life, you don’t know what’s going to happen,” Bowers said by phone this week. “When Mr. Bourne offered me a job, I didn’t hesitate.”

Bowers – JMU’s new director of player personnel – is back at his alma mater, the same school he played baseball and football at in the late 1970s and where he met his wife. He’s tasked with overseeing the team and keeping its recruiting class together while Madison finds the person to replace Withers, who left JMU last week to take over at Texas State.

There’s no awkwardness, Bowers said, in returning to Madison after he was fired less than a month ago. The bond Bowers formed with the team made that a non-issue, he said.

“I thought I made a difference in our football team with the players and a great relationship with those guys, and I think I’m here because of the relationships that I have with them,” Bowers said. “The success we had was what fuels everything. We did a lot of good things.”

JMU is coming off consecutive nine-win seasons and a pair of FCS playoff appearances under Withers. Bowers coached the tight ends in 2014 before moving to the defensive side to oversee the outside linebackers in 2015.

Along with safeties coach Pete Davila and defensive line coach Antoine Smith, Bowers was fired after one of the worst defensive seasons in program history. Though the news caught Bowers by surprise – he said he was “shocked” – he understands it’s part of the business.

“[Withers] wanted to make several changes on the defensive staff and that included me,” Bowers said. “It’s his prerogative to do that not thinking he’s got the people here to correct it, and we go from there.

“You work at the pleasure of a head coach – I understand that, and he wanted to bring in some new defensive coaches and I understand that. That’s why he’s the head coach, that’s why he’s making the big money. That’s the deal.”

Shortly after being let go, JMU players took to Twitter to express their appreciation for Bowers. That bond was the main reason Bourne said he brought back Bowers to lead this transition period, which includes several key weekends in which Madison will host high school recruits.

“John loves JMU, and he’s going to love being back here with our kids,” Bourne said.

Bowers will remain on staff for one year, he said. His role under the new head coach is to be determined.

When Withers left for Texas State, an FBS program in the Sun Belt Conference, he doubled his salary from $325,000 to $650,000 per year. That money alone, Bowers said, would be attractive to anyone looking to rise in the coaching world.

“[Withers] knows how to win, he knows how to motivate people and he’ll continue to do that,” Bowers said. “There’s no question in my mind that’s what will happen. He’s got a chance now there to build again. He was successful building it here and now he gets to go try that same formula in a different state at a different school at a different level.”

Bowers said he’s communicated with all of JMU’s Class of 2016 recruits, who can sign their national letter of intent on Feb. 3. Bowers said that the group seems “good” at this point.

He did not talk specifically about Madison’s remaining coaching staff. Several of the assistants who did not follow Withers to Texas State have been active on Twitter, seemingly still recruiting for JMU. Bowers said those coaches are at the American Football Coaches Association convention in San Antonio this week.

The feeling among JMU incoming recruits and current players is one of anxiousness, Bowers said.

“It’s exciting to know what direction you’re going to go,” said Bowers, who noted he has no hand in picking Madison’s new coach. “Is it going to be an offensive guy, a defensive guy, who knows? They may be talking to a lot of people and, hey, something clicks. I’m sure when Everett Withers interviewed something clicked. This is the guy, this is the guy no question, let’s get him. I’m sure they’re looking for that same click.”