Former Card Richard Owens joins Louisville football as recruiting staffer

The Louisville football program has added a new recruiting staffer in former player Richard Owens.

Last month, the Cardinals lost Stephen Field, their director of high school relations, to Oregon.

"It's great to back home, where it all started!" Owens wrote on Twitter. "We are amazed by the growth, this place has taken off and will continue to build on that foundation!"

Owens changed his Twitter bio to read "Director of On-Campus Recruiting," which head coach Bobby Petrino confirmed in one of his spring practice posts. Pete Nochta, who was the director of on-campus recruiting last season, is now the direct of high school relations.

Nochta played for Louisville from 2006-10 and began as director of on-campus recruiting in 2016. Field joined Louisville last April.

Read more: Louisville football's Brian VanGorder is adjusting to coaching staff and spring practices

See also: Here's what Louisville football's updated roster looks like ahead of 2018 spring camp

Owens played at Louisville from 1999-2003, a fifth-year senior during Bobby Petrino's first year as head coach. After redshirting as a freshman, Owens played in all 51 games over four years with 36 catches for 371 yards and eight touchdowns.

He then played parts of six seasons in the NFL as a tight end and on special teams.

After his playing career, Owens served as a graduate assistant on Petrino's staff at Arkansas in 2010 and 2011. He was an assistant coach at UAB from 2012-14 and then at South Alabama from 2015-17.

At South Alabama, Owens was the tight ends coach in 2015, the offensive line coach starting in 2016 and then took over as the offensive coordinator four games into 2017, replacing the fired Bryant Vincent. Last November, South Alabama head coach Joey Jones resigned.

Jake Lourim: 502-582-4168; jlourim@courierjournal.com; Twitter: @jakelourim. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/jakel.