MEAC Football: Dawson Odums leaves Southern for Norfolk State

Dawson Odums abruptly resigns at Southern to take the same position at MEAC football program Norfolk State. 

In an abrupt move, Dawson Odums resigned from Southern University to take the same position at Norfolk the very same day, moving from the HBCU football conferences from the SWAC to the MEAC.

Odums submitted his resignation at Southern on Tuesday and was announced the head coach at Norfolk State the same day.

Odums was at Southern for 11 seasons, taking over for Stump Mitchell, who went 6-18 in three seasons in New Orleans. The Jaguars went 64-40 during Odums’ tenure, including six wins in the Bayou Classic, four SWAC West division titles, and the 2013 SWAC title.

This spring, the Jaguars were 5-1 and ranked 19th in the FCS coaches poll. Odums takes over a Norfolk State program that has been mired in mediocrity. Last season, the Spartans went 5-7 under then-coach Latrell Scott.

Norfolk State’s 5-7 record was the best since Pete Adrian led the Spartans to their only MEAC football title. NSU gets a coach who knows what he wants on and off the field from the players. Odums does a great job of recruiting and coaching the product he wants.

Odums has a lot of “old school” in him as well. The North Carolina native is no non-sense and believes in discipline and physicality. Most important, the Spartans get a program builder.

Here is more information on Odums’ move to Norfolk State University.