Bowie State University is kicking off a new chapter in its football program, announcing longtime HBCU coach Dawson Odums as the Bulldogs’ next head coach.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Coach Dawson Odums to the Bulldog family,” said Bowie State President Aminta H. Breaux. “He brings more than 25 years of coaching experience and has a remarkable record of helping student-athletes succeed both on and off the field.”
For Odums, the move to Bowie State is a return to familiar territory—the HBCU football stage where he’s built his name. A Shelby, North Carolina native, he spent four seasons as head coach at Norfolk State, where he went 15-30 before being fired in 2024.
Before that, he led Southern University to a string of successful seasons, including a 2013 SWAC championship and multiple division titles.
Odums said he’s grateful for the opportunity and ready to get to work.
“To the Bowie State University community, I am honored and grateful to formally accept the position of head football coach,” Odums said. “I want to thank President Breaux for her confidence and leadership throughout this process.
I am truly appreciative of the trust placed in me to guide Bowie State Football into its next chapter. I firmly believe that discipline, character, leadership, and citizenship are the foundations of sustained success. Those principles shape young men and prepare them for life beyond football and ultimately create a winning culture. When those standards are upheld, championships follow.”
