Report: Shannon Dawson to Miami as offensive coordinator

Associated PressFeb 14, 2023, 3:03 PM EST

Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Miami is hiring Houston assistant Shannon Dawson to be its offensive coordinator, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was still being finalized and needed approval from the university.

Dawson has spent the last four years with Houston, the last three of those as its offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. In those three years, Houston has thrown 87 touchdown passes, which is 13th-most among all FBS programs.

The Cougars also have completed 65.2% of their passes in that span and thrown for 10,010 yards – both of those stats ranking 21st nationally over the last three years.

Dawson previously was an offensive coordinator at Southern Miss, Kentucky, West Virginia, Stephen F. Austin and Millsaps. Dawson has coached in eight bowl games – including an Orange Bowl with West Virginia – along with the FCS playoffs and the Division III playoffs.

At Miami, Dawson will replace Josh Gattis, who was fired last month after the Hurricanes went 5-7 in his only season at the school.

Miami’s offense failed to meet expectations in 2022. Part of that was injuries: Starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke battled a shoulder injury, and the Hurricanes turned to Jake Garcia – who has since transferred – and Jacurri Brown for much of the season.

Miami scored 100 points in its first two games last fall, overpowering Bethune-Cookman and Southern Miss. The Hurricanes averaged only 18.3 points the rest of the way, and finished the year 5-0 in games where the defense allowed no more than 14 points – but 0-7 when opponents scored more than 14.

Miami was 86th nationally in total offense last season, averaging 367.1 yards per game, and 97th in scoring offense.

Dawson is the second coordinator Miami coach Mario Cristobal has hired this month. He also landed Lance Guidry, who was defensive coordinator at Marshall last season and had accepted the same position at Tulane. Guidry is replacing Kevin Steele, who left the Hurricanes for Alabama.

Tune’s TD throw completes Houston’s rally past Louisiana-Lafayette

Associated PressDec 23, 2022, 9:39 PM EST

Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

SHREVEPORT, La. – Clayton Tune connected with Nathaniel Dell for a 12-yard touchdown with 20 seconds remaining, and Houston rallied from a 13-point deficit to beat Louisiana-Lafayette 23-16 in the Independence Bowl.

The TD pass was Tune’s third of the game and 40th of the season, tying the senior with Western Kentucky’s Austin Reed for the most in the nation. Before the winning throw, he completed a 41-yard pass to KeSean Carter on first-and-30 to move Houston into Ragin’ Cajuns territory.

Dell, a junior who plans to enter the NFL draft, had two touchdown catches, pushing his total to a nation-best 17 this season.

The Cougars (8-5) never led until that late touchdown as Tune heated up amid unseasonably cold temperatures in northwest Louisiana. It was 25 degrees at kickoff, with a wind chill of 12 degrees.

“Today was like the rest of the year,” Houston coach Dana Holgorsen said. “The conditions were tough, but they handled it fine.

“To be down at halftime and to come back on a two-minute drive and score, that’s what the whole season has been about. They created a pretty special memory, to win a bowl game like this.”

Louisiana-Lafayette (6-7) led 13-0 midway through the second quarter and 16-6 at halftime.

Tune was named the game’s offensive MVP, finishing 19 of 28 for 216 yards. He led Houston on a 13-play, 70-yard drive to open the second half and hit Dell for a 2-yard touchdown that made it 16-13.

The Cougars kept it close from there, setting the stage for Tune’s game-winner to the 5-foot-10 Dell, nicknamed “Tank.”

“That’s exactly the way I would have scripted to go out,” Tune said. “I saw the coverage, and we had a play called to Tank. I saw leverage for a better route and he did, too. I had all the faith in the world he would win on the route, catch the ball and get into the end zone. It was an easy decision for me. I couldn’t be happier with the way it happened.”

Clinging to a three-point lead, Louisiana stuffed Houston on fourth-and-short at the Ragin’ Cajuns 5-yard line midway through the third quarter, but the Cougars eventually tied the game on Kyle Ramsey’s 19-yard field early in the fourth.

The Ragin’ Cajuns wasted a chance to retake the lead when running back Chris Smith fumbled at the Houston 4.

“They fought,” first-year Ragin Cajuns coach Mike Desormeaux said. “We made a couple of mistakes in crucial situations, but I’ve never been more proud of them.”

Louisiana-Lafayette, located three hours south of Shreveport, took the opening kick and orchestrated a 15-play, 75-yard drive that ended when tight end Johnny Lumpkin made a dazzling touchdown catch in the corner of the end zone.

The Cajuns got three field goals in the first half from by Kenneth Almendares (42, 42, and 22 yards). Chandler Fields finished 17 of 25 passing for 169 yards and a touchdown.

Tune’s first TD toss was a 33-yarder to Carter in the second quarter. Carter finished with 104 yards on three catches, and Dell had six receptions for 44 yards.

ELITE COMPANY

Tune and Reed, who threw six TD passes in Wednesday’s New Orleans Bowl victory over South Alabama, are three ahead of Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams of Southern California and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud. Williams still has the Cotton Bowl game to play and Stroud’s Buckeyes are in the College Football Playoff.

THE TAKEAWAY

Louisiana-Lafayette: First-year coach Michael Desormeaux guided the Ragin’ Cajuns to their first losing season since 2017 (5-7). The program had posted three consecutive seasons with at least 10 victories (34-5 in that stretch).

Houston: Coach Dana Holgorsen honored one of his mentors, the late Mississippi State coach Mike Leach, by wearing a black hoodie with “STATE” on the front. Holgorsen played for Leach at Iowa Wesleyan and later coached under him at Texas Tech. Leach died on Dec. 12.

UP NEXT

Louisiana-Lafayette: The Ragin Cajuns remain in-state to open the 2023 season as they will host another Louisiana school, Northwestern State, on Sept. 2.

Houston: The Cougars open the 2023 campaign at home against UTSA on Sept. 2.

Georgia No. 1 in AP poll for second time, with Alabama No. 2

Associated PressJan 11, 2022, 2:14 PM EST

enna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

INDIANAPOLIS- Georgia is No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll, earning their second national title by beating Alabama on Monday night.

The Bulldogs received all 61 first-place votes to be a unanimous No. 1 for the ninth time this season. Georgia’s only other time finishing No. 1 was 1980.

The Tide finished No. 2, giving the Southeastern Conference the top two teams in the final rankings for the third time since 2011.

Michigan was No. 3, the Wolverines best final ranking since winning the national championship in 1997 and their first top-10 finish since 2006.

No. 4 Cincinnati, which became the first team from outside the Power Five conferences to reach the playoff, finished with its best final ranking.

As did No. 5 Baylor. The Bears previous best finish in the AP poll was No. 7 in 2014.

Ohio State was No. 6 and Oklahoma State finished seventh. The Cowboys had their best finish in the poll since they were third in 2011.

Notre Dame was eighth, Michigan State was ninth and Oklahoma was 10th, giving the Big 12 three top 10 teams.

For Michigan State, its the Spartans first top-10 finish since a string of three straight from 2013-15. The two Big Ten schools from the state of Michigan last both finished the season ranked in the top 10 in 1999.

Utah was No. 12, BYU was 19th and Utah State was No. 24, marking the first time the Beehive State has had all three of its major college football teams finish the season ranked.

Clemson finished 14th, snapping a string of six straight seasons in which the Tigers were no worse than fourth in the final Top 25.