Shannon Dawson has put himself in position for a bigger job, and Baylor looks like the cleanest fit.
Miami’s offensive coordinator has helped turn the Hurricanes into one of the sport’s most productive attacks in recent years, and the quarterbacks running that offense have only boosted his stock. In a college football market that prizes offensive brains above almost everything else, Dawson is exactly the kind of coach programs circle when they’re hunting for a lift.
That’s why it’s hard to imagine Miami keeping him much longer. With openings at Baylor and NC State, the sense is that Dawson could be heading elsewhere once the Hurricanes’ season ends.
Baylor, in particular, checks a lot of boxes. The Bears want an offensive-minded coach with Texas ties, someone who can help them move back toward the success they had under former coach Art Briles without bringing along the baggage that ended Briles’ run.
Dawson fits that profile better than most. He’s from Clinton, Louisiana, and his Texas background comes from coaching at Stephen F.
Austin in the late 2000s and Houston from 2019-2022 before he joined Mario Cristobal’s staff.
NC State is a little harder to pin down, though the one thing clear in Raleigh is that Dave Doeren is not part of the plan going forward. The Wolfpack have also put real resources into the position, even paying a pretty penny to keep quarterback CJ Bailey in the fold.
Dawson’s appeal isn’t just about scheme. It’s about quarterbacks, too.
Both Baylor and NC State have talented but imperfect passers who would make sense for a coach with his reputation. Bailey has shown flashes and rough patches, while DJ Lagway brings a big arm and former five-star upside.
Neither has had a long stretch of steady coaching to fully unlock what they can do, and that would make Dawson a natural pitch.
The Miami backdrop only strengthens the case. Since Dawson arrived, the Hurricanes have been exceptional on offense.
Cam Ward became the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft after one season with Dawson, Darian Mensah looks like he'll be a Heisman finalist, and Malachi Toney is one of the top five players in the sport. Dawson’s offense is built to produce yards and points, and programs in need of that kind of edge know it.
For Baylor, that makes the timing feel especially right. The Bears have made clear what they’re looking for, and Dawson looks like a coach who can match the moment.
He’s got quarterback credibility, an offense that plays well on the eye, and the kind of profile that could push decision-makers at multiple schools to take a serious look. Even Maryland’s Malik Washington belongs in that conversation.
In Other News...
WVUs Defensive Beatdown Just Led To Serious Fallout At TCU
West Virginias defense left TCU searching for answers after a game in which the Horned Frogs struggled to protect their quarterback and never got their running game going. The aftermath was swift. Soon after the loss, TCU head coach Sonny Dykes fired co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach A.J. Ricker, a move that underscored how badly the offense had stalled against the Mountaineers.
Dykes pointed to the teams inability to make critical plays even with statistical advantages, a frustration that has now turned into a major shakeup on the staff. For West Virginia, it was the kind of defensive performance that can ripple beyond one Saturday, forcing an opponent to confront deeper issues almost immediately. [Read more 🡒]
West Virginia Just Gave Fans A Real Reason To Rethink The Big 12
The Big 12 spent the weekend looking a lot more open than it did just a few days ago, with ranked teams falling on the road and the standings taking on a more chaotic feel. No. 2 BYU lost at UCF and No. 8 Texas Tech dropped at Cincinnati, while West Virginia did its part by getting past TCU with several key defensive plays that helped swing the game in its favor.
For Mountaineer fans, the result matters beyond one Saturday because it fit into a broader conference reset that is showing up in the updated power rankings and the Week 9 outlook. It also came on a day when Baylor moved into a new era after Dave Aranda coached his final game there following a loss to Kansas, another reminder that the league's middle and upper tiers are shifting in real time. [Read more 🡒]
Neal Brown Is Suddenly Back In A Debate WVU Fans Know Well
Baylors decision to move on from Dave Aranda after a second straight loss and a 4-3 start has reopened a familiar conversation in West Virginia circles: where Neal Brown fits in the bigger coaching carousel. Brown, now at North Texas, has found his name back in the mix as a possible candidate for the Baylor opening, which immediately pulls Mountaineers fans into a debate they know well from his time in Morgantown.
For WVU supporters, the question is less about Baylors search than what Browns name still says about his future in the sport. His track record at West Virginia will be part of any serious discussion, but so will what he has done in his current stop at North Texas, where the next move could determine whether he is still viewed as a Power Four fit. [Read more 🡒]