Football
- Title:
- Defensive Line Coach
- Email:
- bdawson3@tulane.edu
- Phone:
- 865-5344
Byron Dawson joined the Tulane Football team as the defensive line coach in March of 2020.
Dawson made an immediate impact in his first season Uptown.
During the 2020 campaign, Dawson’s defensive line combined for 222 tackles, 45.5 tackles for loss and 24.5 sacks. Tulane’s 8.4 tackles for loss per game led the American Athletic Conference and ranked sixth nationally, while the Green Wave’s 3.1 sacks per game also led the league and ranked 13th overall.
In addition, Tulane held opponents to just 143.3 rushing yards per game which ranked second in the conference and 42nd nationally.
Following the season, Dawson was among four finalists for the 2020 Football Scoop Coach of the Year Award. He also was selected as an intern for the Bill Walsh Coaching Fellowship with the Los Angeles Rams in 2021. Dawson completed his internship during the Rams' organized team activities.
In 2020, Tulane defensive lineman Cameron Sample and Patrick Johnson were both selected in the 2021 NFL Draft. Sample was selected in the Fourth Round by the Cincinnati Bengals, while Johnson was taken in the seventh round by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Prior to his arrival Uptown, Dawson spent the last 15 years as the head coach/defensive coordinator/defensive line coach at Evangel Christian Academy in Shreveport, Louisiana. He led the Eagles to the 2016 Louisiana 5A Division 1 State Championship. Dawson’s team was named the No. 1 team in the state of Louisiana and the No. 48 team in the nation after the 2016 season. Following the 2016 season, Dawson was selected as the USA Today Louisiana Coach of the Year.
During Dawson’s tenure, Evangel Christian Academy reached the Louisiana State Championship seven times (2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2016). He also earned the honor of AIM National Coach of the Year in 2017. In that same year, Dawson was named NFHS Louisiana Coach of the Year and McDonald’s Shreveport Times Sports team of the Year.
Dawson earned All-District Coach of the Year every season from 2014-19. He received All-City Coach of the Year in Shreveport in 2015.
Dawson’s teams were always packed with talent at Evangel Christian Academy. Dawson developed four Army All-Americans in Jermauria Rasco, Jerry Tillery, Micah Baskerville and Davin Cotton. Tillery was also was selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers. His program also produced the 2019 Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in Ar’Darius Washington.
In college, Dawson was a four-year letterwinner on the defensive line at LSU. He recorded 86 tackles and four sacks as a Tiger. Dawson was coached by Nick Saban, Pete Jenkins, Will Muschamp, Karl Dunbar and Bo Davis during his time in Baton Rouge. The Tigers won the 2000 Peach Bowl, the 2001 Sugar Bowl and the 2001 SEC Championship with Dawson on the team. In 2002, he played in the Cotton Bowl and received the LSU Unsung Hero Award.
Dawson earned his bachelor’s degree in general studies from LSU in 2003.
| PERSONAL Hometown: Shreveport, Louisiana Wife: Tinisha Children: Leah, Jayden EDUCATION Bachelor’s - LSU, 2003 PLAYING EXPERIENCE LSU, Defensive Line (Football), 1998-03 COACHING EXPERIENCE 2003-04, Redemptorist High School (DL) 2005-19, Evangel Christian Academy (HC/DC/DL) POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE 2020 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Tulane 2012 Louisiana 2A D-1 State Runner-Up Evangel Christian Academy 2010 Louisiana 2A D-1 State Champions Evangel Christian Academy 2009 Louisiana 2A D-1 State Champions Evangel Christian Academy 2008 Louisiana 2A D-1 State Runner-Up Evangel Christian Academy 2006 Louisiana 1A D-1 State Champions Evangel Christian Academy 2005 Louisiana 1A D-1 State Champions Evangel Christian Academy |
