Since our coordinators were hired I've been thinking we're likely a 7-5 team, with 6-6 more likely than 8-4.
I note a lot of posters predicting Dawson will bring meaningful improvement to the offense. I don't understand this at all.
P5 experience:
WVU: His 2012-2014 tenure as OC at WVU was in name only. It is widely known it was Holgorsen's offense and Holgorsen was the play caller. In fact Dawson jumped from WVU to Kentucky to run his own offense and call plays.
Kentucky: Dawson's chance to run his own offense at Kentucky in 2015 ended up with the 95th ranked scoring offense and a pink slip after just one season.
"The former West Virginia offensive coordinator ends his tenure at UK after just one season. Dawson, who did not call plays at West Virginia, was hired on Dec. 19, 2014 almost three weeks after former UK offensive coordinator Neal Brown left Lexington for the Troy head-coaching job. " https://www.courier-journal.com/sto...17/report-shannon-dawson-out-uk-oc/77480196/#
Conclusion: His P5 experience was a washout.
G5 experience:
Southern Miss:
-2016 as OC 41st ranked scoring offense
-2017 as OC 58th ranked scoring offense
-2018 as OC 89th ranked scoring offense
Obviously with this track record no one was going to hire him as an OC at his next job.
Houston:
-2019 TE coach
-2020 QB coach
-2021 as OC in name (but with Holgorsen running the offense and calling plays) 15th ranked scoring offense
-2022 as OC in name (but with Holgorsen running the offense and calling plays) 16th ranked scoring offense
Conclusion: My prediction is that Dawson will be another failed OC for Mario and will be let go after this season. And our record this season will be weighed down from ever having hired him.
There is nothing in his resume to suggest he should have been hired as OC here. It's a complete roll of the dice, against bad odds.