Miami coach Mario Cristobal has selected Houston’s assistant Shannon Dawson as the program’s next offensive coordinator, sources close to finding The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman have confirmed. Here’s what you need to know:
- Dawson replaces Josh Gattis, the 2021 Broyles Award winner, who was fired last month after the Hurricanes averaged just 23.6 points per game (97th) in 2022. Miami owes Gattis nearly $1.5 million a year for each of the two remaining years of his contract.
- Dawson has been an offensive coordinator at Houston since 2020 and previously held the same position at Southern Miss (2016-18), Kentucky (2015) and West Virginia (2012-14).
- Houston ranked third in the AAC in 2022 in yards per game (6.57) and second in both passing yards per game (314) and yards per attempted pass (8.2).
- Dawson wasn’t the only vacancy Cristobal filled on Tuesday. Miami is expected to hire Cincinnati assistant Derek Nicholson as the new linebacker coach, a source with knowledge of the deal has confirmed to The Athletic. Nicholson, a former Florida State standout linebacker, followed Scott Satterfield from Louisville to Cincinnati after the 2022 season.
backstory
Cristobal’s first season at home in Coral Gables fell far short of expectations, with the Hurricanes finishing 5-7. Injuries made matters worse, but there was also some friction between staff, coaches and players. Gattis was at times a bit overly critical of his staff and players, and some players dumped him as a result.
The Hurricanes couldn’t keep the football running and ranked 95th in yards per carry (3.74). They also weren’t explosive enough, finishing with only 42 plays of 20 yards or more (114th national).
What is Dawson bringing to Miami?
Cristobal was really impressed with Dawson, an Air Raid disciple, and how he evolved in the running game and his ability to develop quarterbacks, and liked what he saw in the film. Houston averaged 4.6 yards per carry in 2021 and has ranked 2nd and 3rd on third-down offense in the AAC for the past two seasons. — Feldman
What talent does Dawson inherit?
Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, the ACC’s 2021 Rookie of the Year, leads a group of five returning players who have started at least half of Miami’s games. The Hurricanes have four full-time starters to replace: left tackle John Campbell (transferred to Tennessee), center Jakai Clark (traded to SMU), right tackle DJ Scaife (ineligible to play), and tight end Will Mallory (NFL Draft).
Cristobal grabbed two big portal transfers to bolster the offensive line: Javion Cohen, a 25-game starter at Alabama left, and center Matthew Lee, who made 36 starts for UCF. Miami expects one of the better developed offensive lines in the country next season with five-star offensive tackle recruits Samson Okunlola and Francis Mauigoa signing up early for spring football. The Hurricanes will also look to add talent at the receiver in May when the transfer window reopens. — Navarro
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(Photo: Michael C Johnson / USA Today)