Jeff Bowden Departure Leaves Possible Receivers Coach Opening

It's also important to note that Jeff Bowden's departure means that two positions - offensive coordinator and receivers coach - must be replaced. If the new coordinator doesn't also coach receivers, it would take another departure on the FSU staff to fill the receivers spot. One possible candidate to coach FSU receivers fulltime would be former Seminole Lawrence Dawsey, now a well-respected coach at South Florida.

From his debut at USF in 2004, this former All-America receiver at Florida State has done a remarkable job with a youth-oriented receiving corps. Hopes are high in 2006 with the return of three starting receivers plus several fast-rising sophomores, including LSU transfer Amp Hill.

Like Hill, Dawsey joined USF from LSU, where he was a graduate assistant during the Tigers’ 2003 National Championship season. His rookie season with USF in 2004 marked his first full time collegiate coaching role.

In addition to his outstanding playing career at Florida State, Dawsey enjoyed a solid NFL career, mostly with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who drafted him in the third round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He went on to be named Sports Illustrated Rookie of the Year and was also named to the Pro Football Weekly All-Rookie Team. He led the Buccaneers in receiving that year with 55 catches for 818 yards (a Buccaneer rookie record) and three touchdowns. He led the team for a second straight season in 1992 with 60 catches for 776 yards and one touchdown.

After missing most of the 1993 season, Dawsey again led the Bucs in 1994 with 46 catches for 673 yards and one touchdown. In 1995, his final season with the Bucs, he had 30 catches for 372 yards and no touchdowns. His 206 career receptions are 10th most on the Bucs all-time list, while his 2,842 yards stand eighth. He had four 100-yard receiving games, including a best of 116 on seven receptions at Washington, December 18, 1994.

Dawsey would go on to play for the New York Giants in 1996, the Miami Dolphins in 1997 and the New Orleans Saints in 1999.

At Florida State, Dawsey earned All-America honors in his 1990 senior season when he led the Seminoles with 65 receptions for 999 yards and seven touchdowns. He had also led the team as a junior with 38 catches for 683 yards and four touchdowns and he had 128 career receptions for 2,129 yards, including nine 100-yard games.

His career highs in receptions (13) and yards (172) came against Florida State’s top rivals Miami and Florida, respectively, each in his senior season. He had a career-long 93-yard touchdown reception in his 1988 sophomore season against Southern Mississippi.

Dawsey began a coaching career prior to signing with the Saints in 1999 after a year away from the NFL His first taste of coaching came at Tampa Catholic High School in 1998, where he supervised the receivers. He has most recently been the graduate assistant at LSU in 2003, when the Tigers won the National Championship. He has also coached at Tampa’s Blake High School in 2002, and he was a training camp assistant with the St. Louis Rams in 2001.