Ahead of his first season as head coach of the Bowie State Bulldogs, Dawson Odums’ coaching staff has been revealed, featuring some notable names from top HBCU football programs of the past.
Rejoining Odums on the sidelines as Offensive Coordinator is longtime coach Jason Phillips, having notably served in a similar role during his tenure at Norfolk State in 2024.
Phillips is well-known for his tenure as wide receivers coach at Alcorn State from 2018-2022, helping guide the Braves to a pair of SWAC championships and Celebration Bowl appearances in his first two seasons.
He is not the only former Odums assistant that will be returning to the sidelines, as he will be joined by fellow former Norfolk State assistants Aaron Tiller (run game coordinator/defensive line coach) and LaQuaid Manago (run game coordinator/offensive line coach).
Tiller, a former Southern student-athlete, played for the Jaguars from 2013-2017, being named to the All-SWAC First Team in his final two seasons.
After a brief pro career and five years coaching at the high school level in Columbus, Ohio, he entered the collegiate coaching ranks as the defensive line coach at Norfolk State in 2024.
Manago, who served on Norfolk State’s coaching staff during Odums’ entire tenure, returns to the CIAA after previous stints with Winston-Salem State, Elizabeth City State, and Shaw.
His most notable stop came with his alma mater, North Carolina A&T, helping uplift the Aggies to a MEAC championship in 2014 as a graduate assistant.
Rounding out Odums’ staff is running backs coach Marcus Bradley, wide receivers coach Jay Grimes, and Director of Football Operations Shaska Davis.
The Bowie State Bulldogs enter the 2026 season after finishing 3-7 the previous year, marking their worst record since 2007.
They are also looking to snap their first streak of consecutive losing seasons since 1997.
