Former Southern Football Coach Dawson Odums resigns; Hired by Norfolk State

After nine seasons as the head coach of the Southern Jaguars football team, Dawson Odums will now head to the MEAC as the new head coach for the Norfolk State Spartans.

Dawson Odums attended North Carolina Central University where he also played football. There, he was a starter for three years and was selected to the All-CIAA team in his senior year. Odums’ coaching career began in 1999 at the high school level when he became an assistant coach for his alma mater Crest High School in North Carolina.

Following stints as an assistant coach with Georgia Southern University, Gardner-Webb University, Bethune-Cookman University, and North Carolina A&T State University, Odums would join Southern University initially as a defensive coordinator in 2011. In 2012, he was named the interim coach for Southern on his way to being named the permanent coach the following season.

In his eight full seasons as head coach of Southern, he compiled a record of 63-35 (53-17 in conference) leading the Jaguars to four SWAC championship games winning it in 2013.

This past season, Odums led the Jaguars to a 5-1 record (beat Alcorn State by forfeit) with three wins coming by 20 points or more including a 49-7 win over Grambling State in the Bayou Classic their last game of the season.

Dawson Odums will join a Norfolk State Spartans team that has not had a winning season since 2007 (wins vacated from 2009-2011). For the first time as a head coach, Odums will have an opportunity to coach against his alma mater when Norfolk State travels to Durham, North Carolina to face the North Carolina Central Eagles.

SU Football Head Coach Dawson Odums Resigns https://t.co/21H5rfHjde

— Southern University Jaguars (@SouthernUsports) April 20, 2021

🚨 Breaking news Alert 🚨

Spartan Nation, welcome @Coach_Odums to the @NorfolkStateFB family!

📰 🔗https://t.co/vRgBc2Urdg pic.twitter.com/tvvNP7Skat

— Norfolk State Athletics (@NSUSpartans) April 21, 2021