Legends Poll Adds Bobby Bowden as 19th Voting Member

Bobby Bowden has learned plenty about studying college football teams, his or otherwise, in his 44 years as a head coach. 

Bowden's legendary coaching career, including 375 wins and two National Championships, may have come to an end after the 2009 season, but he won't be gone from the college football landscape by any means.

The Legends Poll, a top-25 college football poll voted on by a stable of retired college football coaches including 13 College Football Hall of Famers, announced the addition of Bowden as a voting member Wednesday.

Bowden will join such college coaching greats as Gene Stallings, John Robinson, and Bobby Ross, who was added recently, as a Legends Poll voter.

The Legends Poll was created five years ago as an alternative to the current college football polls, which are voted on by current coaches or media members. The 19-member voting panel for the Legends Poll consists entirely of former coaches who have the time and are able to put in an appropriate amount of effort into making their voting decisions.

The voting members of the poll are given DVDs by the Legends Poll each week during the season, which are then analyzed by the former coaches and discussed each week in a conference call.

Through the method of game analysis and discussion, the Legends Poll aims to be the most informed college football poll week to week.

The Legends Poll's ultimate goal is to become a part of the BCS formula, where the Harris Poll and USA Today Coaches' Poll each make up one-third of a team's ranking. Adding a former coach with the reputation and prestige that Bobby Bowden brings to the table can only help advance toward that objective.

To see more about the Legends Poll and how each coach voted throughout last season, visit their website.

Also, follow Legends Poll on twitter at @LegendsPoll or became a fan on Facebook.