The Miami football program surprisingly hired Shannon Dawson from Houston as their next offensive coordinator. Dawson is a surprise as part of the Hal Mumme air raid coaching tree. Dawson has been at Houston since 2019 and has been the Cougars OC since 2020. Houston was a top-20 offense in 2022 under Dawson.
Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated broke the news on Tuesday morning about the Miami football program hiring Dawson. Frank Tucker of Canes County reported on Monday that the “Houston Staff Preparing for Shannon Dawson to Take Miami OC Opening.” Dawson has been an FBS OC every year since 2014 except in 2019.
Dawson was the tight ends coach at Houston in 2019. Houston was 16th nationally in 2022 averaging 36.1 points per game and 25th averaging 456.0 yards per game. Houston was eighth nationally averaging 314.0 passing yards per game and 76th averaging 142.0 rushing yards per game.
The Cougars attempted 38.5 passing attempts and 30.9 passing attempts. Like new Miami defensive coordinator Lance Guidry, Dawson is a Louisiana native. Dawson played quarterback and wide receiver at Division II Wingate in North Carolina. Dawson began his coaching career as the WR coach at Wingate in 2002.
Miami is expected to hire Houston’s Shannon Dawson as offensive coordinator and QBs coach, sources tell @SINow.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) February 14, 2023
Dawson, a longtime Dana Holgorsen assistant, has tutored some of the nation’s most prolific passers & called plays at UH.
Dawson reportedly interviewed with Miami last weekend. After his inaugural position at Wingate, Dawson has experience as a running backs, WR and TE coach in addition to 14 years as an OC. Dawson comes to Miami with experience coaching in a Power Five program. The first Power Five job for Dawson was at West Virginia in 2011.
Dawson was the WR coach for the Mountaineers in 2011. West Virginia elevated Dawson to Co-OC in 2012. In 2013 and 2014 Dawson was the OC and QB coach for West Virginia. Dawson left Morgantown to become the OC and QB coach at Kentucky in 2015. Dawson was the OC and WR coach at Southern Miss in 2016 and 2017.
Gary Ferman of CaneSport reported on Tuesday to expect Dawson to incorporate passing concepts with the air raid combined with the power spread Mario Cristobal prefers. The Miami offense will evolve under Dawson with the strength in the passing game at TE. Expect Tyler Van Dyke’s strengths to be utilized more in 2023.