The Big Green Scholarship Foundation has announced the establishment of the Red Dawson Endowment, a scholarship that will aid football student-athletes at Marshall.
“We are so grateful to have a scholarship for student-athletes that bears the name of coach Red Dawson,” said Alicia Parker, associate director of Development for Endowments and Major Gifts for Marshall Athletics. “His legacy and impact on the football program at Marshall University is profound.”
The Big Green is the fundraising arm of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and provides funds for scholarships to many of the student-athletes at Marshall University.
Dawson, a native of Valdosta, Georgia, started his football career at Valdosta High School as a tight end and defensive end. He then went on to play for Florida State University and was named an All-American.
He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams as a junior in 1963, but he decided to remain a student.
Dawson co-captained the 1964 Seminoles, which included College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Fred Biletnikoff, where they took the team to a 9-1-1 record and finished No. 11 in the Coach’s Poll. Dawson was then drafted to the then Boston Patriots in that year’s draft.
He didn’t see much success in professional Football, only playing one year in the American Football League and one year in the Continental Football League, playing for the Orlando Panthers.
After his playing career, Dawson was hired as Marshall’s receivers coach for the 1968 season.
On the night of Nov. 14, 1970, following a Marshall vs Eastern Carolina game, instead of flying back with the team, Dawson and another assistant coach drove home to recruit a potential player in Virginia. However, the football team, coaches, family members, supporters and flight crew died in the tragic plane crash while trying to touch down at the Huntington Tri-State Airport.
After the tragedy, Marshall decided to rebuild the team having named Dawson as the acting head coach until Jack Lengyel was hired as the head coach.
After some persuasion from Lengyel, Dawson decided to stay on the team as the defensive coordinator for the young Thundering Herd. Dawson left the position, as well as football coaching in general, after that season. However, he remained a key member for the community, starting the Red Dawson Construction Company.
“His love and commitment to Marshall are indeed legendary, and this endowed scholarship for a football player at Marshall is well-deserved,” said John Sutherland, senior associate athletic director for development and executive director of the Big Green Scholarship Foundation. “He may well be the most beloved Son of Marshall, and the Big Green is honored to be a part of his legacy. The word ‘legend’ is often overstated in describing someone, but not in the case of Red Dawson.”
Dawson was honored into the Florida State Hall of Fame as a part of the introductory class of 1993.
Nate Harrah can be contacted at [email protected].
