Note from Dave-Te...Ever since I started in this industry, I made a name for myself based on the extensive research and detailed statistical analysis that I compile on offensive linemen. The Temple kid has been on my radar since 2014. Here are excerpts from his 192-page report;
Body Structure Dawkins has a thick frame, but could carry at least another fifteen pounds of bulk with no loss in quickness. He has a solid build with good arm length, big hands, thick upper body region (chest), firm midsection with a strong lower frame and a good overall offensive lineman’s physique.
General Report 8.08 GRD1=7.84
Athletic Ability 8.1 Dawkins displays good foot quickness for a down lineman. He demonstrates the agility and initial burst to get into the second level without lumbering. He consistently plays on his feet and shows the low pad levels, balance and ability to keep his hands inside his frame when mirroring a defender (see 2016 Stony Brook, SMU, Memphis; 2015 Penn State, Memphis, Connecticut games). He is quite flexible when redirecting and while he lacks the ideal height you look for on the corners, he could earn quality playing time as an offensive guard due to his ability to locate and attack bull rushers when working in-line. He shows good acceleration on the move, doing a good job of getting in front on traps and pulls, another area where he would make an ideal guard. He is quick when changing direction and generally keeps his head on a swivel, looking for other defenders to attack.
He also has the quickness off the snap to get into defenders and gain leverage. His balance and body control allow him to get down field and in position to neutralize the linebackers at the second level. He shows good knee bend and leverage, doing a nice job of shifting his weight when redirecting. He has very good explosiveness with his hips on contact. He rarely overextends in pass protection and is a naturally strong athlete who delivers a punishing hand punch. He moves athletically and with balance, showing nimble feet for a player of his size.
2016 In-Season Update…Dawkins has excellent athletic agility for this position. He possesses the loose hip, lower body flexibility and valid quickness of a tight end, coming off the snap with very good explosion. He is quick to get out on the edge and shows very fluid knee and ankle bend when changing direction. He adds a good blend of strength, especially in his hand jolt. He moves well in the open, doing a nice job of locating and neutralizing linebackers. He shows outstanding acceleration on pulls and traps, running with short pitter-patter steps with the plant-& -drive agility to redirect.
Football Sense 8.0 Dawkins shows the ability to read and react quickly on stunts and games. He makes good adjustments on the field. He is the type that needs only minimal reps in order to retain plays. He puts in the extra hours in the film room and is more of a technique-oriented type than one that will rely on his first instincts. He is very alert to the blitz, showing the foot slide to mirror his opponent. He does a good job of seeing schemes develop at the X’s.
It might be an eventual position shift for him in the NFL (guard), as he is smart enough to be relied upon to make the blocking calls. He has that natural feel for defensive schemes and easily adjusts. He is very adept at switching off vs. stunts (see 2016 Charlotte, SMU, Memphis games) and despite a few penalty glitches in the 2016 Penn State clash, you can see he is more than capable of handling the mental aspect of the game.
2016 In-Season Update… Dawkins is quick to pick up defensive schemes. He has very good field vision and alertness. He takes plays from the board to the field with no problems and is smart enough to call blocking assignments. He makes quick adjustments on the move and will have no problems dealing with the mental aspect of the game.
Character 7.5 Dawkins is well-liked by the staff and players. He is involved in campus volunteer groups and has often spoken about the qualities derived from education. He did have one off-field issue in 2015, but it should be resolved in the coming weeks to everyone’s satisfaction and will not impact his draft stock. He has taken on more of a leadership role this year and will be the offensive line’s anchor. He has the mental ability to make line call adjustments, if needed. He is also involved in community and university activities.
Competitiveness 8.3 Dawkins is a player that loves to mix it up in the trenches. He relies a lot on technique and while he can be an effective mauler, he is not the type that gets rattled under pressure or one that will get overaggressive. The thing you see on every play is that he will not quit until the whistle. He uses his strength well to simply drive defenders off the ball. He is the type that is always looking for defenders to hit. He plays with enthusiasm and knows how to keep his temper in check, but will not hesitate to throw down and mix it up in the trenches. He works to finish blocks and covers defenders up with his consistency at the X’s. The thing you see on film is that he is not wild and mistake-prone, rather taking that businessmen’s approach, but don’t be fooled, he wants to win every battle in the trenches.
2016 In-Season Update… Dawkins’s personality changes from quiet and respectful off the field, to aggressive and at times, downright nasty when he gets into the trenches. He plays with a high motor, knowing that his athletic ability will let him beat even the speedier pass rushers along the edge. He is on the cusp of getting better, as he takes great pride in his work ethic.
Work Habits 8.5 Dawkins is a great program mentor, as he is one of the hardest workers on the team. He is very coachable and does whatever is needed by the staff. He is a smart, self-motivated type and football is very important to him. He is accountable, dependable and takes well to hard coaching. He will not hesitate to get on teammates he feels are slacking on the field, where he performs with quite a nasty edge to him. He is not a player the coaches need to push in order to perform at the X’s. He shows good confidence in his strength and speed. As hard as he works in the weight room, he works even harder during the game, showing the perfect nasty disposition you want from a blocker in the trenches.
2016 In-Season Update… Dawkins is the first one in and the last one to leave the weight room. He plays with good urgency and is not afraid of hard work. He is a self-starter, a good role model and will take time out to help the younger players.
Athletic Report 8.50 GRD1=8.45
Initial Quickness 8.2 Dawkins displays very good initial quickness, getting his hands up and in the defender’s chest on the rise, in order to control and position. He is light on his feet for a player his size, ideal for the short pulls and traps (see 2016 Stony Brook, SMU, Memphis, Central Florida, South Florida; 2015 Penn State, Connecticut games). With his explosive burst, he easily gains advantage on the defender. He has the balance and change of direction agility to get out front on traps and pulls. He can gain advantage on scoop and reach blocks thanks to his quick first step. He shows good hip strike and suddenness getting out of his stance and moving up field.
2016 In-Season Update…The first thing you notice on film is Dawkins’ ability to explode off the snap. He has excellent initial quickness, showing a strong base with the suddenness to get his hands into the defender in an instant. He is very light on his feet for a player of his size, showing quick reactions to combat any defensive movement. Whether lining up in a two- or three-point stance, he can set up to protect the edge with good urgency (see Stony Brook, Cincinnati and East Carolina games). He shows a sudden burst to gain advantage and is quite nimble redirecting down the line. He is quick to turn up field and neutralize the linebackers on the move. His quick feet will generally see him gain position when blocking in-line. He is also very adept in sliding out to pick up edge rushers in pass protection.
Lateral Movement 8.5 Dawkins shows good urgency getting out of his stance and pulling. He has the lateral agility to make adjustments at the line of scrimmage, showing fluid hip snap when trying to plant and redirect. The thing you notice on film is the way he maintains balance on the short pull while displaying good lower body flexibility. He displays very good lateral quickness moving in the short areas and was quite effective locating and neutralizing second level defenders. He plays with a good base and keeps his hands inside his frame, which helps him maintain balance and generate a fluid change of direction running interference on the power sweeps.
2016 In-Season Update…Dawkins is nimble on his feet, keeping his pads down and knees and ankles bent to fluidly change direction. He can slide well in either direction and pulls well along the line. In the past, he would tend to lose some hand placement attacking on the move than when he’s stationary, but there is no longer any evidence of that issue in 2016. He has good explosion off the snap and good timed speed, but when he gets too erect in his stance, he might struggle a bit to redirect. The thing you notice immediately on film is his excellent foot quickness and lateral movement to slide. He shows ease of movement redirecting in either direction and accelerates instantly when stalking out defenders in the second level (see 2016 Stony Brook, SMU, Central Florida, South Florida and Tulane games).
Balance/Stays On Feet 8.5 Dawkins has the footwork and strength to anchor and hold his ground at the point of attack. He is quick off the snap, usually getting advantage on the defender due to his ability to stay on his feet. He stays low in his pads, works for position and uses his hands well to lock on and finish. With his balance and footwork, he has excellent mirror ability. Even with his quickness, he shows good patience to sustain blocks. When in pass protection, his footwork in retreat allows him to get back and protect the pocket from edge rushers (see 2015 Cincinnati, Massachusetts; 2016 Charlotte, SMU games). He has good knee bend and is not the type who will get straight-legged and bend at the waist. He is very good at keeping his feet on the move, as you almost never see him flop around some working long distances. He demonstrates good body control when working on short pulls. At the line of scrimmage, he has the quick feet and balance to slide and sustain, doing so with good flexibility. He is simply a tough position blocker who shows consistency working to finish. When he gains position and keeps his base wide, he will generally win most battles.
2016 In-Season Update… Dawkins is a hard object to move out when he plants his feet firmly at the point of attack. He has a strong hand punch, but needs to be more active using those hands in attempts to sustain. He does a solid job executing reach blocks and maintaining position when working in-line. He could use more bulk to clear out and maintain the rush lanes, but shows quick feet in his kick slide and possibly the best hands in college football. It is rare to see him struggle getting low in his stance to generate leverage on the move, as he has the reach and extension ability to cover defenders up at the line of scrimmage (see 2016 Charlotte, SMU, South Florida, Tulane, East Carolina and Navy games). He flashes the ability to gain position coming out of his stance. He has very good balance and body control working in-line, at the second level and in pass protection. He shows quick feet, a wide base and excellent flexibility to adjust and stick. His foot speed allows him to almost immediately gain position. He plays flat-footed and with a wide base, which allows him to sustain very well vs. the edge rushers in pass protection.
Explosion/Pop 8.5 Dawkins has a hand punch former President Bush would be proud of, as he can easily shock-& -awe a defender. He fires off the snap with a low stance, getting that explosive thrust from his strong lower frame to prevent bull rushers from walking him back into the pocket (has allowed just a half-sack and two QB pressures in his last 22 games). He is a savvy player who combines strength and quickness to generate explosive pop in his drive blocking. He plays with above average leverage and shows more than enough hand usage and power to drive the defenders out of the hole. This year, he has shown steady improvement in getting his hands up quickly on the rise to jolt defenders with his punch. He is active with his arms in attempts to leverage and sustain. He uses his leg drive well to fire off the snap, showing good hip rotation and surge in short yardage situations. He can generate enough explosiveness to be effective on the short pull. His strength allows him to neutralize the defender’s charge and create movement. When he plays at a proper pad level, he shows the ability to sink his hips and use his lower body to explode into his man. When he gets too high in his stance, he fails to roll his hips and pop into blocks.
2016 In-Season Update… In 2016, Dawkins is showing much better explosion with his hands coming off the snap. You no longer see his early career tendencies to lean and use his body more than gain proper hand placement. When he stays low in his stance, he is effective at getting under the defender’s pads to jolt the opponent. He is doing a much better job of using his strength and quickness to attack the defender off the snap as a senior than he did in the past and it is evident by his record-breaking blocking consistency marks. One of his more devastating moves have been when he hand-punches the defensive end often in pass protection, as you can literally hear the blast from the impact in the coach’s booth. He can fire off the ball on run blocks, showing very good hip roll in this area (see 2016 SMU, Memphis, Tulane games). Not only does he demonstrate above average quickness, but he positions himself well and gets his hands up quickly on the rise, generating strength with quickness to impact, pop and surge with sudden force. He also displays very good hip and leg explosion, as well as a strong jolt with his hand punch. There are times where you’d like him to be overly aggressive, but he compensates with enough flexibility and power to gain leverage, especially when attempting to create a crease for the ground game.
Run Blocking 8.8 Dawkins has the strength and quickness you look for in a trap blocker, as he consistently creates space and finish blocks for the ground game (see 2016 Charlotte, SMU, South Florida; 2015 Penn State, Tulane games). He has the hand usage to initiate contact, lock on and drive off the defender, along with the leg drive to control multiple opponents or assist his center and tackle on combo blocks/double teams. He is equally effective in space and working in-line, as he can get movement and widen the rush lanes between the tackles, along with demonstrating the valid speed to enter the second level and stalk linebackers. His lower body strength lets him flash into the defender and drive his opponent quickly off the ball. He blocks with a flat back and locks on to the defender quickly to move his man out of level one. His ability to keep his pad level low and play with leverage lets him control the action with his quick initial step. He has made great strides in this area due to his ability to bend at the knees and drive to get movement when working in-line. He rarely loses his base at the X’s and excels at walling off and screening, especially when he rolls his hips on contact.
2016 In-Season Update… Coming off the snap, Dawkins is quick to get his hands into the defender to lock on and control. He has good forward body lean to maintain the rush lane and can move the pile when he uses his legs to drive hard and gain leverage. With his bulk and balance in the open, he has become and exceptional trap blocker, with great success when he operates in the second level. He has the feet to stay on blocks and sustain and stays on his feet well for a player of his size (see Stony Brook, SMU, Central Florida, Tulane games). He is a physical in-line blocker, possessing a wide base as he runs his feet well. He is very good at sustaining and has developed a nice feel for blocking angles. He is effective when asked to wall off and screen. He brings power to his game when driving for movement and will generally finish.
Pass Blocking 8.5 Until this season, the passing game was not a focus for the Owls’ offense, but pass protection has taken on greater importance in 2016. Enter Dion Dawkins, who opened the 2016 campaign with six blocking grades of at least 90% in his first eight contests, which has already set the school season-record. He has that strong hand punch and anchoring ability to shock the bull rushers, doing a very nice job of extending his arms while sliding his feet to maintain the integrity of the pocket. He stays square vs. movement and when challenged by multiple defenders, he uses his solid punch on the way to anchoring and stopping the charge. He understands the importance of protections and communicates well with the other blockers, especially his left guard and tight end (see 2016 Charlotte, SMU; 2015 Penn State, Tulane games). He plays flat-footed and can sink his hips to mirror, and it is very rare to see him drop his head at the X’s. Earlier in his career, he used to get a little straight-legged trying to adjust and recover, but he showed improved flexibility and balance as a junior and even more as a senior. If he generates proper knee bend, he can anchor and slide when trying to set and base.
2016 In-Season Update… Dawkins works mostly from the spread and shotgun offense, but with his foot speed, he is very effective at sliding out to neutralize the edge rushers. He could use more bulk to anchor, but he has the feet, balance and body control to ride his man out of the play. He is fluid with his shuffle/slide and stays square and balanced attacking the defender. Even if he gets over-extended, he has the quickness to recover.
You can see on film (2016 Charlotte, SMU, South Florida, East Carolina and Navy games) that he demonstrates more than enough foot quickness to slide, good knee bend and hip flexibility, patience and a strong hand punch. He stays at the proper pad level when executing his kick slide and has developed the balance and body control needed to make the reach blocks, use his change of direction agility to wall off and generate the foot quickness to recover. He has valid quickness off the snap to gain advantage, showing above average balance and control in his kick slide. He is also capable of making the cut-off block and readjusting quickly to the edge rush.
Pulling/Trapping 8.4 Dawkins shows very good vision and ability to make contact on the move (see 2015 Penn State, Connecticut; 2016 Stony Brook, SMU, Memphis games). He maintains balance on the move and it is rare to see him lunge or get “top heavy” working in the second level. He shows ease of movement, quickness and high production on pulls and has no problems using his reach and hands to make contact with a moving target. He is very alert to schemes when in space and if you are looking for a guard to excel on the short pull and drive the defender off the ball on initial contact, Dawkins is your man. He is best working in the short area, as his quick first step usually allows him to gain advantage. He is a contact seeker who will land with violence at the X’s. He is just as effective going long distances, as he never gets his base too narrow, nor fails to keep his feet under him. When working in the short area, he has the power, drive and wider base to maintain position.
2016 In-Season Update… Dawkins has the quickness to turn it up on the second level defenders. He is athletic and smooth in his movements and has the body control to execute blocks in space& gt; He does a nice job of maintaining proper pad level working in the second level (never gets too tall in his stance). His hand punch is a tremendous weapon, but I am tending to agree with Dave-Te Thomas that Dawkins could be even more dominant operating from the interior, even though he has very good technical skills and footwork to play on the edge. He has very good athleticism to stay up and play the game on his feet. He is very capable of coming off the snap smoothly to pull. He has exceptional open field acceleration for a down lineman, doing a very good job of initiating contact and following through with his hand placement and leg drive to sustain.
Adjust on Linebacker
Downfield 8.6 Dawkins is a classic contact seeker. He is an above average second level blocker with the athletic ability and flexibility to deliver punishing blocks on the move, using his nimble feet to adjust and get in position to absorb contact. He is quite capable of firing out and neutralizing blitzing linebackers, demonstrating proper body control to adjust on the move. The thing you see on film is that he will not hesitate to hustle and look people up down field. He has learned how he can utilize his change of direction agility to take better angles and shorten the field. When he maintains balance redirecting, he is capable of tracking and landing on the linebacker.
2016 In-Season Update… Dawkins has the flexibility and reach to adjust to second level defenders. He will smother linebackers up and move on to another target when he plays at a good pad level. He does a good job of executing pancake blocks and consistently plays on his feet. He’s done a much better job of staying low in his pads in order to make contact on open field blocks this season (see 2016 Stony Brook, SMU, Memphis, South Florida and Tulane games). He maintains balance and slides easily to make the cut off. He is strong enough to stay up in his stance, maintaining proper pad level to keep his feet and adjust on the move. The thing you notice on film is his ability to consistently take good blocking angles to neutralize and cut off the linebackers. His athletic ability is shown when he makes quick adjustments to pick up secondary defenders down field.
Use of Hands/Punch 8.4 Dawkins has a very strong punch and active hand usage. He consistently gets placement and has the strength to grab and control. With his powerful hand punch, he can stymie a defender in an instant. When making contact, he will usually put the defenders up on their heels. He can generate very good power to shock and jolt when he gets his hands into the defender’s chest. He has improved greatly his recoil and recovery quickness (his hand speed could see him eventually shift to guard). His powerful short punch is a dangerous weapon when working in-line. As he became more confident in his hands, he was able to shock and knock down defenders with very good consistency. Thanks to his hand strength, when he locks on to a defender, he will usually control the play. On run blocks he comes off the snap low, using his hands to pop the defender into the chest and ride out his blocks. He also showed improvement in using his hands effectively to keep defenders off his pads.
2016 In-Season Update… Dawkins can extend, jolt and shock the opponent when he gets his hands on them and you can see his knockdown blocks prove that he does it with tremendous consistency. He is strong on top and has become savvy while learning the proper technique for grabbing. He can stun people with his punch and control the point of attack, where he flashes good arm extension in-line while also maintaining that extension blocking on the move (see 2016 Stony Brook, Charlotte, SMU, South Florida games). He has done a very good job of improving his hand usage, as he shows power and determination to lock on and steer on runs. He gets good hand positioning and shows explosion with his punch to jolt and gain control, but during those times when he will drop his hands too quickly, he fails to reload. He keeps his base wide in order to position and adjust to the outside edge quickness and strikes with authority in pass protection.
Reactions/Awareness 8.6 Dawkins keeps his head on a swivel and even savvy defenders fail to fool him. He uses his foot quickness and balance to slide and redirect in pass protection and is smart enough to know when he is needed to help out other blockers. He gets good depth with his kick slide and even though Temple does not run an NFL-traditional offense, his ability to locate targets on the field and recognize schemes should see him be a relied-upon type of NFL blocker as a rookie. His lateral agility, lower body flexibility and field alertness allow him to do a very good job of redirecting and picking up stunts. He shows the vision to easily pick up twists and will pivot to recover when he misses a block. He works well with his guard and tight end switching on stunts and also has the ability to combo with his tackles when picking up the outside blitz. He is very good at using his nimble feet to move out the pile and shuffles those feet with effectiveness to neutralize linebackers trying to shut down the rush lanes.
2016 In-Season Update… Dawkins is alert to stunts and games. He has the foot quickness to make the reach blocks and is fluid in his kick slide. He loops well and is quick to change direction, reacting quickly moving side to side. He shows good vision to combat twists and has the balance to recover when caught out of position. He keeps his head on a swivel, showing above average reactions and awareness on both running and passing plays. He has no problems handling movement, as he kicks slide allows him to adjust laterally. He has good speed and plays flat-footed, showing explosion and flexibility when changing direction.
Long Snap Skills NG While Dawkins has yet to snap in a game, he has prep and practice experience in this aspect. Based on information from Hargrave Academy, Dawkins has an average snap time of .69 seconds. His snaps average roughly 37 mph on the radar gun. In a report filed by New England, they have an estimated average snap time of .75 seconds with a best of .72. He snaps the ball with good rotation and uses his entire body during his mechanics. He could possibly be a highly effective performer at the pro level, as he has long levers and uses his entire body during the snap to gain maximum velocity on his attempts.
Summation
Dawkins has all the tools and ability to be a dominant run blocker at the NFL level. He has the quickness and lateral movement to slide and adjust to the defender’s moves and consistently sustains blocks. I love the way he redirects and switches off blocks when working with his center to widen the inside rush lanes or when taking on stunts and blitzes. He has a good punch with strong hands, along with the arm length to jolt and control his man coming off the snap. He is a nasty blocker in the trenches and works his feet well to drive the defender off the ball. He has the athletic ability to get down field and stalk second level opponents, along with the vision to locate and make contact on the move. He is a top-notch pull blocker who never gets top heavy or caught out of position. As a pass blocker, he is quick to set and uses his lower body strength to anchor, keeping his hands active in attempts to lock out and create separation. His comparison below speaks volumes for the respect scouts are according him.
Overview
Dawkins has become a great character type, sort of the “first one off the bus” type of player. He has very good flexibility, stays low in his pads and shows ease of movement changing directions. He has above average balance that gives him the ability to adjust on the move. His initial quickness allows him to explode into the defender coming off the snap. He is never beaten to the tackle set-point by the quicker defensive ends, as he shows the kick slide and foot agility to mirror. His flexibility allows him to easily anchor, slide, mirror and adjust when working in space. The thing you love about this kid is that he works extremely hard to improve. He does everything that the coaches ask and then some. He is well-respected by the staff and teammates. His raw power, exceptional quickness, rare size and intense attitude sort of make him a freak of nature at the offensive tackle position. You see production in every area of his game. On run blocks, he shows above average quickness, gets his hands on defenders instantly, generates a strong base on drive blocks and shows good hip and leg drive to get movement. He can also run his feet, stay up and sustain his blocks. He is tough and aggressive, as he works to finish, has a good understanding of blocking angles and positions quickly.
Dawkins does a very good job of chipping and getting to the second level, showing the ability to break down and stay under control. He is quick getting out in front to pull, runs well in the open and has the body control to turn up the hole. He is adept at hitting a moving target in space and overall, does a solid job in pass protection, thanks to his quick feet, knee bend, patience and ability to sink his hips. The Temple senior has the body control to redirect, quick hands, good pop and above average timing delivering the hand punch. He can also make a very nice tackle-eligible performer, as he has the large, natural hands to extend for the ball away from the body’s frame. In conclusion, there is no question that he is the finest offensive linemen this school has ever produced (apologies to Tre’ Johnson and John Rienstra).
Medical Information for this category can be found on the player’s profile
Statistics Information for this category can be found on the player’s profile
Career Notes Information for this category can be found on the player’s profile
Compares To REUBEN BROWN-ex-Buffalo Bills…Like the former Pittsburgh Panthers offensive tackle, Dawkins could find quicker success in the NFL as a guard, due to his trap blocking abilities and superb stalking skills in the second level. He has had great success as a drive blocker the last two years, but he is also a very effective pass blocker, evident by the team’s marked improvement with their aerial game this season. He is a tough second level stalker with above average quickness and athletic ability for a down lineman. Continued success during his senior year, along with a dominant performance in the Senior Bowl will make him one of the first offensive linemen to hear his name called in April 2017 (NFL Draft).
leave it to the experts
As for the game analysis, notice his main blocking assignment is listed; missed assignments, knockdowns, TD-resulting blocks, grade, team impact...I have to make Ray Charles picture the play (be the eyes for the position coach about to watch the films);
2016 SEASON
The senior left offensive tackle not only garnered All-American first-team honors from The NFL Draft Report, but Dawkins is regarded by that scouting information service as the best offensive lineman to ever play at his university…Only two Owls offensive linemen, both guards (John Rienstra in 1985 and Bill Singletary in 1972) have ever received first-team All-American honors since the school began competing in the sport beginning in 1894…Dawkins, also a consensus All-American Athletic Conference first-team choice, was added to the watch lists for the Outland and Lombardi Trophies… The left tackle has simply dominated the action in the trenches this season, save for the Penn State and Wake Forest clashes, as he not only established a school season-record, he shattered it, registering blocking consistency performances where he graded at least 90% in eleven of his thirteen appearances…The previous record was five such efforts by Tre’ Johnson in 1993… Dawkins led the nation during the regular season with 146 key blocks/knockdowns, which averages 11.23 per game, that included an NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision-leading total of thirty-four touchdown-resulting blocks (22 for the ground game and 121 for the passing attack)…That is the highest total by a major college tackle since Florida State’s Walter Jones accounted for thirty-six in 1997 (23 rushing, 13 passing)…During bowl action, he added seven more knockdowns and two touchdown-resulting blocks, but Wake Forest also swarmed in to see the left tackle allow a pair of sacks in the Military Bowl loss…During the regular season, Dawkins also posted eighteen second level blocks and finished with a Temple all-time high blocking consistency grade of 92.77%. (including the postseason, he finished with a 91.86% mark)...With the senior left tackle providing the leadership up front, the Owls averaged 191.2 yards per game on the ground, as the team went on to a 10-3 record (.769 percentage success was best in the conference and 12th nationally during the regular season schedule…The senior protected the pocket, which allowed the Owls to place 16th in the FBS with an average gain of 14.35 yards per pass completion…They team also ranked seventh in the country while leading the AAC in time of possession (33:44 minutes per game)…The senior was penalized six times, including three flags vs. Penn State, but he allowed just a pair of half-sacks and one pressure on 313 pass plays…Recovered a fumble that eventually led to a field goal by the Owls vs. Charlotte.
2016 SEASON GAME ANALYSIS
Army…The Cadets utilized its famed triple option running attack to march up and down the field to upset the Owls, 28-13, in the season opener for both teams in front of 34,005 fans at Lincoln Financial Field. Temple struggled throughout the game to find any offensive rhythm, with the defense unable to slow down the Army ground game. The Owls’ left tackle delivered eight knock-downs for the day, including one that led to a score…Quarterback Philip Walker completed a 32-yard toss to Colin Thompson near the end of the first quarter, hiding behind his left tackle as Dawkins locked on and stalled the charge created by rush end Kenneth Brinson. As that series carried over into the second stanza, Dawkins led the charge, as he flattened defensive end John Voit on a 6-yard touchdown run by tailback Ryquell Armstead that ended an 8-play, 80-yard march…However, Walker and the offense found no movement through the air or on the ground in the second half, scoring just a field goal, despite the signal-caller breaking the school record for career passing yards in the contest (snapped Henry Burris' record of 7,495 passing yards on Temple's opening drive of the second half. He now has 7,541 passing yards for his Owl career)…Primary Blocking Assignment-DE#59-John Voit (6:03-247)-No tackles; Rush DE#56-Kenneth Brinson (6:02-232)-One assisted tackle; SOLB#2-Gibby Gibson (6:01-211)-One solo tackle…Dawkins Offensive Impact-The lineman recorded eight key blocks/knockdowns and one touchdown-resulting block (vs. pass), grading 88% for blocking consistency...Team Offensive Impact-The Owls completed 12-of-26 passes (46.15%) for 168 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions, rushing for 83 yards and one touchdown on 28 carries (2.96 ypc), as they gained 251 yards on a total of 54 plays (4.65 yards per attempt)…The offensive line allowed four sacks for minus 19 yards, six stops for losses totaling 21 yards and no quarterback pressures, but none were charged to their left tackle.
Stony Brook…Under a blazing mid-September heat with 22,296 fans packing the stands, Temple secured their initial win of the season over visiting FCS-member Stony Brook, 38-0, as the senior left tackle amassed ten knockdowns with a series of key blocks on three touchdown drives…With their senior left tackle leading the way, quarterback Philip Walker helped the offense either reached or begin in the red zone five consecutive times after a stalled first possession, scoring touchdowns on four of those occasions. The third quarter proved similar as each of the first two drives saw the scoreboard change in Temple's favor…Dawkins delivered one block at the line and another in the second level that stalled linebacker Shayne Lawless to spring receiver Cortrelle Simpson for a 36-yard gain on a reverse, as the left tackle then chased away Jaheem Woods after the free safety tried to hit his teammate after the whistle blew. That seemed to be all that Dawkins needed to exact revenge, which he did when he shoved defensive end Aaron Thompson into Woods and into the end zone, with tailback Ryquell Armstead taking his cue by following Dawkins through a hole created on the left side for a 3-yard touchdown that put the first points for the day on the scoreboard…On third-&-2, Dawkins got out in front as Isaiah Wright turned the left corner for a 10-yard gain. On the next snap, Wright and Dawkins repeated the process, picking up 11 more yards before being stopped at the Stony Brook 9-yard marker. Two plays later, Philip Walker located Keith Kirkwood and the slot receiver scored on a 5-yard pass play for a 14-0 first quarter lead…After protecting Walker’s blindside on a 17-yard pass play, Dawkins fired off the snap, taking the legs out from under nose guard Josh Valentin on a 4-yard scoring run by Jager Gardner early in the second quarter…Stony Brook Anchor John Haggart’s attempt to get into the backfield was thwarted by a slip block executed by the Owls left tackle and guard, as it gave Walker time to unload a 26-yard touchdown pass to Kirkwood on third-&-12 to stake claim to an early third quarter 35-0 lead. After that series, most of the offense’s first unit performers were observers for the rest of the contest…Temple head coach Matt Rhule discussed his pride regarding how Temple competed during the shutout, noting the "energy" and "juice" the Owls had against the Seawolves despite a full week of grueling practice and, not to forget, the season opener loss to Army still fresh in many players' minds. "I'm really proud of our team over the last eight days, some real key leadership," Rhule said. "It was a really, really hard work. We were not a fresh team out there today. We worked this week. I thought you saw, hopefully, a team that played with a lot of energy, a lot of juice, and did enough to win the football game, and to get a shutout on defense is always special."…Primary Blocking Assignment-DE#95-Aaron Thompson (6:03-269)-No tackles; Anchor DE#37-John Haggart (6:01-258)-One assisted tackle…Dawkins Offensive Impact-The lineman recorded ten key blocks/knockdowns and three touchdown-resulting blocks (two running/one pass play), posting two blocks down field while grading 99% for blocking consistency...Team Offensive Impact-The Owls completed 11-of-25 passes (44.00%) for 124 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, rushing for 177 yards and two touchdowns on 39 carries (4.54 ypc), as they gained 301 yards on a total of 64 plays (4.70 yards per attempt)…The offensive line allowed two sacks for minus 19 yards, five stops for losses totaling 29 yards and no quarterback pressures, but none were charged to their left tackle.
Penn State…Despite a resilient defensive effort and a late offensive surge, Temple fell short in its first road challenge, suffering a close 34-27 loss at the hands of rival Penn State in front of a crowd of 100,420 at Beaver Stadium. The Owls, who battled from behind throughout the entire matchup, closed the score to within a single possession on their final drive, but an inopportune turnover snuffed out the possibility for the comeback. For the Temple left tackle, it was an uncharacteristic performance, as he was flagged three times; once for an illegal block and twice for illegal procedures, but he did manage to register eight knockdowns…Dawkins was penalized for an illegal block to the back of Jalen Stevens after he saw the linebacker closing in on quarterback Philip Walker. That negated a 34-yard touchdown catch by Marshall Ellick on the play, as the penalty pushed the Owls back ten yards on a third quarter series that eventually stalled...Trying to steer Garret Sickels wide, the defensive end suddenly dipped inside before Dawkins could recover, as the defensive end joined defensive tackle Parker Cothren in closing in on Walker for a 4-yard sack. Earlier during that fourth quarter series, Dawkins was also flagged for jumping offside…On a jet-sweep to the right side, Dawkins and left guard Jovahn Fair angled towards that side of the field, taking out defensive end Ryan Bucholz and Cothren to spring tailback Jahad Thomas for a 2-yard touchdown run from a third-&-goal handoff…Primary Blocking Assignment-DE#90-Garrett Sickels (6:04-266)-Three tackles (2 solos), an assisted sack for a 2-yard loss; DE#19-Torrence Brown (6:03-257)-one assisted tackle…Dawkins Offensive Impact-The lineman recorded eight key blocks/knock-downs and one touchdown-resulting block (run), posting one block down field, but he was penalized three times, grading 78% for blocking consistency...Team Offensive Impact-The Owls completed 25-of-34 passes (73.53%) for 286 yards, no touchdowns and one interception, rushing for 38 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries (1.52 ypc), as they gained 324 yards on a total of 59 plays (5.49 yards per attempt)…The offensive line allowed three sacks for minus 19 yards, nine stops for losses totaling 32 yards and no quarterback pressures, as an assisted sack was charged to their left tackle.
Charlotte…Temple recovered quickly from a slow start in its Homecoming matchup, posting its second victory of the season with a dominant 48-20 decision over the 49ers in front of 27,786 fans at Lincoln Financial Field. Dawkins was penalized once for a false start, but he alertly recovered a Temple fumble on a series that ended with a field goal, along with producing thirteen knockdowns and delivering key blocks during four touchdown drives…After tailback Jahad Thomas fumbled the ball during the game’s opening drive, Dawkins recovered the pigskin and returned it four yards to midfield. However, the left tackle was flagged for a false start on third-&-4 and the Owls would salvage some points from that 12-play, 58-yard march with a 36-yard field goal…The ever-alert Dawkins picked up a stunt by rush end Brandon Banks and linebacker Tyriq Harris, riding the pair of defenders towards the left sideline to allow quarterback Philip Walker to find Adonis Jennings along those markers for a 51-yard catch-7_run into the end zone to take an early second quarter 10-7 lead…Even though the Owls failed to score on their next second quarter drive, Temple was sitting at their own 5-yard line when Dawkins cleared out the rush lane between left tackle and guard that was quickly spotted by Ryquell Armstead and the tailback cut back inside to pick up 25 yards on the ground…Thomas scored on a 13-yard run just before halftime, following Dawkins’ lead as the left tackle used a kick-out block to neutralize middle linebacker Karrington King before shoving his opponent into nose guard Larry Ogunjobi to increase the Owls’ lead to 17-7…On third-&-goal, Dawkins had to shove, push and maul in order to move several Charlotte defenders out of the way while creating enough space for a 1-yard touchdown run by Armstead, with Dawkins falling through the hole to insure he cleared out any defenders who might have had a chance to reach the Temple tailback before scoring…After the game, Temple head coach Matt Rhule talked about the improvement of the offensive line: “I thought Phillip Walker did a good job of running and getting out of the pocket. I think he did as good of a job as he has ever done with some late check-downs. Really the ones to Ryquell maybe could have scored. Phillip is really getting into a rhythm of not taking sacks. I’d have to really watch the offensive line to tell you how it looked. It looked like Dion Dawkins made some of those runs to the left side that popped. We just felt like if we spread them out a little bit and then came back into big sets we would be able to run the ball and then throw some play actions we could give them three things to worry about. Larry Ogunjobi is a great player for them, Brandon Banks is a great player for them, and it looked like they played well. I think the offensive line had no catastrophic errors, and from there we can just see where we were technique wise.”…Primary Blocking Assignment-DE#5-Brandon Banks (6:03-282)-One solo tackle; Rush DE#91-Nick Carroll (6:05-249)-No tackles; NG#65-Larry Ogunjobi (6:03-304)-One solo tackle… Dawkins Offensive Impact-The lineman recorded thirteen key blocks/knock-downs and had a hand with four touchdown-resulting blocks (three running, one pass play), posting two blocks downfield, but he was penalized once, grading 94% for blocking consistency...Team Offensive Impact-The Owls completed 17-of-32 passes (53.13%) for 297 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, rushing for 210 yards and four touchdowns on 34 carries (6.18 ypc), as they gained 507 yards on a total of 66 plays (7.68 yards per attempt)…The offensive line allowed no sacks for zero yards, three stops for losses totaling four yards and no quarterback pressures, but none were charged to their left tackle.
Southern Methodist…Dawkins was in his element, as he delivered big blocks on four touchdown drives for the second consecutive week. Aiming to make a splash in the American Conference debut, the Temple offensive and defensive fronts gave no ground as they guided the Owls into the win column, knocking off the visiting Mustangs in a 45-20 thrashing. A combination of consistent quarterback pressure and a punishing ground attack proved the difference for the Owls in the victory, surging past the Mustangs in decisive fashion…After the Owls were intercepted during the game’s opening drive, on their next opportunity, they decided to keep the ball on the ground. Tailback Jahad Thomas scored on an untouched run of 12 yards, as Dawkins simply latched on and drove defensive end Justin Lawler throughout the backfield, tying up several other Mustang defenders to give his tailback lots of room to operate for six points…After Thomas ran back a punt 20 yards, Dawkins and left guard Jovahn Fair executed a slip block that stalled Lawler from getting to the Owls quarterback before Philip Walker unleashed a 42-yard scoring strike that was hauled in by Ventell Bryant later in the first frame…It turned out to be a busy first quarter for the offense, even though they had a 34-yard scoring catch ruled to be downed at the 1-yard line as the Owls were playing in the waning moments of the first quarter. SMU’s Lawler was no match when Dawkins fired off the line with an emphatic drive block to spring Ryquell Armstead for a 1-yard touchdown run for a 21-7 Owls lead…Things continued to bounce Dawkins’ way, as he “bounced” a few defenders out of the rush lane on a 13-yard scamper by Armstead before leveling nose guard Deon green to spring Armstead for a 31-yard gain. On the next snap, Thomas followed Dawkins as the left tackle crushed defensive end Jarvis Pruitt to free the tailback around the left corner for a 15-yard touchdown that concluded a 70-yard series…The critical victory marks the first in the Owls' defense of last season's Eastern Division Title, as they improve to 3-2 (1-0 American) on the year…Primary Blocking Assignment-DE#99-Justin Lawler (6:04-262)-Four tackles (2 solos); DE#34-Jarvis Pruitt (6:03-249)-No tackles…Dawkins Offensive Impact-The lineman recorded eleven key blocks/knockdowns and had a hand with four touchdown-resulting blocks (three running, one pass play), posting two blocks down field, grading 96% for blocking consistency...Team Offensive Impact-The Owls completed 7-of-18 passes (38.89%) for 124 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, rushing for 244 yards and four touchdowns on 45 carries (5.42 ypc), as they gained 368 yards on a total of 63 plays (5.84 yards per attempt)…The offensive line allowed two sacks for minus 28 yards, seven stops for losses totaling 40 yards and no quarterback pressures, but none were charged to their left tackle.
Memphis…Dawkins recorded his third double-digit knockdown-block performance, delivering eleven of those hits while leading the way on a pair of touchdown drives. However, under the hostile lights of the Liberty Bowl and fighting a crowd 34,743 strong, Temple struggled to overcome the obstacles of a tough road venue as fellow American Conference foe Memphis outpaced the Owls in a 34-27 shootout. In a true "tale of two halves" game, Temple jumped out to a commanding 13-3 lead in the first half only to surrender that edge over the course of the final two quarters. The Owls started the game with serious energy and poise on both sides of the ball, but a few big plays by the Tigers buried Temple down the stretch…Temple failed to score during their game-opening drive, but on the first play from scrimmage, quarterback Philip Walker ran for an 11-yard first down when Dawkins took defensive end Ernest Suttles out of the play with a jarring hand punch…The Owls were struggling inside the Tigers red zone, as seven plays there had produced nine yards. On a first-&-goal run by Ryquell Armstead, Dawkins helped the tailback reach the end zone from two yards out, as the left tackle executed a drive block that stalled defensive tackle Michael Edwards. Armstead had cut back to the right side when he saw Dawkins stalled the first level defenders. Much to the tail-back’s surprise, the left tackle bounced off that block and “body hugged” Arthur Maulet to prevent the cornerback from reaching Armstead in the backfield before cutting back and getting into the end zone…It was all-out combat for Dawkins as he engaged rush end (Kat) DeMarco Montgomery. With the pocket collapsing on the right side, Walker stepped up and used his left tackle’s stall tactics to step into a safe area behind Dawkins before he spotted Thomas all alone in the open field for a 61-yard pass and a touchdown that closed Temple’s scoring deficit to 27-20 with 6:47 remaining in the contest…Primary Blocking Assignment-KAT/DE#13-DeMarco Montgomery (6:03-247)-Two solo tackles; DE#48-Ernest Suttles (6:05-269(-One solo tackle; DT#38-Jonathan Wilson (6:03-271)-No tackles, one pass deflection…Dawkins Offensive Impact-The lineman recorded fourteen key blocks/ knockdowns and had a hand with two touchdown-resulting blocks (one running, one pass play), posting two blocks down field, grading 96% for blocking consistency...Team Offensive Impact-The Owls completed 36-of-59 passes (61.02%) for 445 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, rushing for 86 yards and one touchdown on 29 carries (2.97 ypc), as they gained 531 yards on a total of 88 plays (6.03 yards per attempt)…The offensive line allowed two sacks for minus 14 yards, two stops for losses totaling 14 yards and four quarterback pressures, but none were charged to their left tackle.
Central Florida…Dawkins’ stellar blocking played a major part as Temple battled back to stun UCF on the road with a last second touchdown, stealing a 26-25 victory over the Knights at Bright House Networks Stadium. The left tackle provided a touchdown-resulting block for the ground game and another for the aerial attack before protecting quarterback Phillip Walker as the team rallied after being down by five points with just 32 seconds remaining. Walker orchestrated a four-play, 70-yard drive to bring the Owls back from the brink, capped by a dramatic eight-yard touchdown pass to redshirt junior WR Keith Kirkwood…Dawkins took the legs out from under defensive end Trysten Hill to clear a rush lane between left tackle and guard that was used by Adonis Jennings for a 12-yard run. That set up Dawkins charge past the second level as the lead blocker, racing from the left side of the field to the right, where he prevented cornerback D.J. Killings, UCF’s final defender in the way of the end zone, from getting around the massive blocker before tailback Jahad Thomas raced by with a reception for a 28-yard touchdown that put the game’s first points on the board in a little over of five minutes of action…After protecting Philip Walker from a blitz by linebacker Shaq Griffin, in order to allow the QB to complete a 19-yard pass to Ventrell Bryant, Dawkins would help end that 9-play, 71-yard series just before halftime. On a first-&-goal snap, the left tackle dropped in-line, where his scramble block to the hip of Brendon Hayes saw the defensive end fall into two more defenders. Thomas, seeing a speck of daylight, then cut back inside on a rushing attempt, picking up the final seven yards for the score to close their scoring gap vs. the Knights to 25-14 heading into the locker room. On that play, under pressure and back-peddling, Walker slipped a screen past two charging defensive linemen to a waiting Thomas, who then proceeded to weave his way 28 yards past would-be tacklers into the end zone…While the Owls failed to score on their first possession in the fourth quarter, Dawkins crushed middle linebacker Demeitre Brim on a 45-yard scamper from Thomas that sparked the offense to rally in the final frame…With thirty-two seconds left in the game and Temple trailing by a 26-19 score, the passing game came into play. Dawkins latched on to defensive end Tony Guerad and rode the opponent far from the pocket as Philip Walker uncorked a 26-yard pass that was caught by Bryant at the UCF 8-yard line with ten seconds left. Central Florida expected Walker to spike the ball to set up the next play, but the team lined up quickly and the quarterback lobbed an 8-yard game-winning touchdown toss to Keith Kirwood to cap that 4-play, 70-yard march…Primary Blocking Assignment-DE#93-Tony Guerad (6:03-277)-Three tackles (2 solos); DE#95-Trysten Hill (6:01-299)-No tackles; SOLB#18-Shaquem Griffin (6:01-213)-One solo tackle…
Dawkins Offensive Impact-The lineman recorded nine key blocks/knockdowns and had a hand with two touchdown-resulting blocks (one running, one pass play), posting two blocks down field, grading 93% for blocking consistency...Team Offensive Impact-The Owls completed 12-of-24 passes (50.00%) for 167 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, rushing for 197 yards and one touch-down on 51 carries (3.86 ypc), as they gained 364 yards on a total of 75 plays (4.85 yards per attempt)…The offensive line allowed five sacks for minus 32 yards, twelve stops for losses totaling 50 yards and two quarterback pressures, but none were charged to their left tackle.
South Florida…Facing off against a rolling South Florida squad undefeated in American Athletic play, Temple continued to prove its resolve in the 46-30 dismantling of the visiting Bulls, surging to the top of the East Division in front of 25,950 at Lincoln Financial Field…The Owls, lacking in an offensive identity following a tough road loss to Memphis two weeks ago, found comfort behind a powerful ground game vs. USF, thanks to the dominance of Dawkins in the trenches. The left tackle led the way as sophomore tailback Ryquell Armstead generated a career-high 210 yards on 20 carries for two touchdowns for the evening. Armstead even found himself inserted into the school record books, as his high-production now stands as 14th on the all-time single game list for rushing yards. He is also just the 10th player to rush for 200 yards in a game…Dawkins registered fifteen big blocks, three coming on running plays for touchdowns and another on a scoring strike…On the game’s first possession, Dawkins held off two defenders while Philip Walker completed a 31-yard pass to Ventrell Bryant, coming back to the slot receiver on a 14-yard toss to set up a 22-yard field goal for the Owls’ first points…On a late first quarter drive that resulted in four Temple penalties, Dawkins was “caught looking” as defensive end Kirk Livingstone slipped into the backfield between left tackle and guard to bring down Armstead for a 2-yard loss…During an early second quarter series, Dawkins refused to let his assignment get into the backfield, as he first stalled Livingstone while Walker hid behind his left tackle for a big pass play that netted 15 yards on a toss hauled in by Bryant. On second-&-goal, the defensive end was driven towards the left sideline by Dawkins, as Walker dropped back and hit tight end Colin Thompson on the right side of the end zone for a 1-yard score, the first touchdown ever recorded by the senior tight end…With 4:01 left in the first half, the big paws possessed by Dawkins latched on and rode Livingstone wide, creating a rush lane between left tackle and guard that Armstead cut back through before putting on the afterburners for a 76-yard touchdown jaunt (Owls’ longest offensive play to date in 2016)…On a simple toss-sweep to the right side, Dawkins led the charge as Jahad Thomas turned the corner to gain 12 yards on that rushing attempt. The left tackle then intimidated Livingstone, as the defensive end seems to give up the chase when Isaiah Wright slipped past him for a 24-yard carry. That set up Armstead for another long touchdown run. The tailback lined up in I-formation and took the handoff. Dawkins worked inside to knock down defensive tackle Bruc e Hector, playing off that block to neutralize Livingstone. Armstead went past Dawkins and angled toward the right side before he was “off to the races” on a 42-yard scoring burst that ended a 78-yard drive on three running plays in the third frame…After UCF went three-&-out, they were forced to punt, but the kick was blocked and the Owls recovered with great field position later in the third quarter. Thomas took the handoff and used a crushing block by Dawkins on Hector that earned him eleven yards of real estate to the Knights’ 9-yard marker. Hector was injured on the play and UCF then had to play without their best defender. Thomas again heard his number called and used a scoop block by Dawkins that stalled two defenders, including middle linebacker Augie Sanchez, to skip into the end zone from nine yards that that put Temple ahead by their largest margin, 34-23…With the victory, Temple improves to a noteworthy 5-3 (3-1 American), earning the Eastern tiebreaker over former division leader USF (6-2, 3-1 American). Further, from a revenge perspective, the Owls' triumph over the Bulls reversed the result from last season's game, where USF knocked off an undefeated Temple program on its turf…
In the post-game press conference, Dawkins was the most popular Owl and fielded a flurry of questions…Asked about Ryquell Armstead finding the extra bursts; “Yes he is extremely fast and as us lineman we just get to our land mark on the player that Ryquell is just going to bursts through.”…
Can you talk about the tight end? Blocking -wise Coach Rhule was really praising them for the work
they did; “They are hands down the mist athletic people on the field and they are just as big as the offensive linemen and they move quick, with them on the line blocking it is extremely helpful and the just focus in on doing their job every play and it is very helpful.”…How much pride do you take as a lineman when you see that your team had three hundred plus yards rushing; “Its feels great as long as we keep doing what we are coached, the sky is the limit. We had a lot of penalties which is bad, but if we didn’t have all of them imagine how many more yards we would have had.”…Is it difficult to get the thought out of your mind that you guys are doing well; “Our thought for every week is one and zero, regardless if we are in last place or like where we are now. We are going to take it by week and continue to push forward.”…Record Watch-In just his eighth appearance for the 2016 season, Dawkins has recorded his sixth game with at least a 90% grade for blocking consistency. That broke the previous school season-record of five 90% performances by Tre’ Johnson in 1993 (vs. Boston University, Kansas State, Pittsburgh, Akron and Rutgers) that Dawkins had tied during his 2015 campaign (vs. Penn State, Cincinnati, Charlotte, Memphis and Connecticut)…Primary Blocking Assignment-DE#94-Kirk Livingstone (6:04-266)-Three solo tackles, one stop for a 2-yard loss; DT#60-Bruce Hector (6:02-306)-No tackles…Dawkins Offensive Impact-The lineman recorded fifteen key blocks/ knockdowns and had a hand with four touchdown-resulting blocks (three running, one pass play), posting two blocks down field, grading 95% for blocking consistency...Team Offensive Impact-The Owls completed 14-of-21 passes (66.67%) for 209 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, rushing for 319 yards and four touchdowns on 51 carries (6.25 ypc), as they gained 528 yards on a total of 72 plays (7.33 yards per attempt)…The offensive line allowed two sacks for minus 14 yards, four stops for losses totaling 24 yards and no quarterback pressures, as one tackle-for-loss was charged to their left tackle.
Cincinnati…With Dawkins dominating in the trenches, even though the Bearcats sent a slew of defenders trying to get in the backfield on the left side of the line, Temple utilized a devastating ground game that highlighted by Jahad Thomas and his big-play ability, Temple routed visiting American Athletic foe Cincinnati in a 34-13 dismantling, to the delight of 29,763 fans…On an under-throw from Philip Walker to Adonis Jennings, Dawkins rode defensive end Mark Wilson away from his quarterback in order to complete the 40-yard touchdown toss. It would be a frustrating day for any defender trying to attack Temple’s pocket from the left side, as the Bearcats lined up five different defensive ends vs. the left tackle, with little success for the day…In a shot you could hear out of the stadium, the left tackle steamrolled over defensive end Kevin Mouhn and then turned his attention to a pair of oncoming linebackers to pave a path used by Jahad Thomas for a 56-yard scamper. Dawkins’ quick feet had him appearing to play goalie for the Philadelphia Flyers, or maybe he was just being a chess master toying with checkers players on the final snap of this 82-yard scoring drive. With the team lined in double-tight end formation on second-&-12, Dawkins worked his way towards the middle of the line, where he first shoved off one defender and then used his big paws to thwart off two others. With amazing protection in front of him, Philip Walker located Ventrell Bryant between two defensive backs and needled the ball through into his receiver’s arms a short distance from the end zone. Bryant slipped through the would-be tacklers for the final few yards needed to complete the 28-yard touchdown grab…Miscommunication on the left side of the field saw Dawkins occupied with an interior defender while second tight end Cole Boozer was supposed to pick up the left tackle’s coverage assignment. Somehow, Boozer missed his mark and Chase Ashworth was able to go over the top of Dawkins to zero in on and sack Walker for an 8-yard loss early in the second stanza…On third-&-8, Walker broke free for a 10-yard run up the middle, as Dawkins stalled defensive end Mark Wilson from getting to the quarterback early in the fourth quarter that was downed at the Bearcats 6-yard marker. From their power-run formation, Dawkins surged off the snap, driving back several defenders to create a massive pile-up, with Cincinnati middle linebacker Eric Wilson being violently swung from one side to the next, like a batter taking a swing. That gave Ryquell Armstead the free lane around the left side of the field to take the ball into the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown that gave the Owls a 34-13 lead…Record Watch-Dawkins continued to add to his school season-record with his seventh game recording at least a 90% grade for blocking consistency. It also marked the 18th time during his career that the left tackle had reached that level of excellence, doing so despite missing eight contests during his career as a Temple Owl…Since records were first kept in 1990, the highest total of 90% or better blocking performances recorded were twenty-one by Wisconsin’s Joe Thomas, accomplishing that feat in 47 games from 2003 through 2006…Primary Blocking Assignment-DE#56-Mark Wilson (6:03-243)-One solo tackle; DE#55-Caleb Ashworth (6:03-243)-One sack for an 8-yard loss (half-sack for minus four yards charged to Dawkins); DE#48-Kevin Mouhon (6:01-257)-No tackles; DE#47-Landon Brazile (6:05-257)-No tackles…Dawkins Offensive Impact-The lineman recorded thirteen key blocks/ knock-downs and registered three touchdown-resulting blocks (one running, two pass plays), posting one second level block, grading 96% for blocking consistency...Team Offensive Impact-The Owls completed 12-of-19 passes (63.16%) for 192 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, rushing for 275 yards and two touchdowns on 60 carries (4.58 ypc), as they gained 474 yards on a total of 79 plays (6.00 yards per attempt)…The offensive line allowed two sacks for minus 24 yards, ten stops for losses totaling 38 yards and no quarterback pressures, as one-half sack for minus four yards was charged to their left tackle.
Connecticut…For the eighth time this season, the Owls left tackle recorded at least a 90% grade for blocking consistency. Behind a two-dimensional offensive game plan and a staunch defensive front unwilling to break, Temple took to the road to shutout regional rival and East Division foe Connectict by a 21-0 Friday evening score at Pratt & Whitney Stadium…The Owls utilized a balanced offense, compiling 218 yards on the ground along with 215 yards through the air, to work the clock and generate three early scores. The defense, however, clamped down on a sputtering Husky offense, forcing numerous three-and-outs and holding the unit to just 158 total yards…Dawkins shifted right coming off the snap and his big body prevented a pair of Huskies from getting into the backfield as quarterback Philip Walker rolled right and then bolted up field for a 20-yard sprint. That would set up another roll-out by Walker before he fired a 32-yard pass to tailback Jahad Thomas for a 32-yard gain deep into Connecticut territory. That 5-play, 74-yard drive ended with the Owls passer locating Thomas on a 23-yard pass play for the game’s first score. On the touchdown toss, defensive end Cole Ormsby tried to stunt inside on the left tackle, but once Dawkins latched on to the defender, the battle ended quickly and Walker easily completed his throw…You would think Ormsby would have learned his lesson during the previous series vs. Temple, but on the Owls next drive, the defensive end again tried to escape Dawkins with an inside move. Instead of riding Ormsby to the left side of the field like he did the last time, the left tackle laterally walked the Husky towards the right side-lines, pushing him into several of the Connecticut defenders as Walker’s spiral of a 44-yard pass to Ventrell Bryant was downed at the Huskies’ 11-yard line. That set up a 10-yard touchdown toss to Thomas on the next play, as Dawkins combined with tight end Cole Boozer to neutralize the left side of the field…The shutout marked the first for the program over an FBS opponent since October 15th, 2011, when the Owls held Buffalo scoreless in a 34-0 victory. With the victory, Temple improves to 7-3 (5-1 American), good for first in the East Division and a guaranteed bowl invite…Record Watch-Dawkins continued to add to his school season-record with his eighth game recording at least a 90% grade for blocking consistency. It also marked the 19th time during his career that the left tackle had reached that level of excellence, doing so despite missing eight contests as a Temple Owl…Since records were first kept in 1990, the highest total of 90% or better blocking performances recorded were twenty-one by Wisconsin’s Joe Thomas, accomplishing that feat in 47 games from 2003 through 2006…Primary Blocking Assignment-DE#57-Cole Ormsby (6:03-262)-Two solo tackles, one quarterback pressure; DE#15-Luke Carrezola (6:03-266)-No tackles…Dawkins Offensive Impact-The lineman recorded nine key blocks/knockdowns and registered two touchdown-resulting blocks (pass plays), posting one second level block, grading 96% for blocking consistency...Team Offensive Impact-The Owls completed 12-of-18 passes (66.67%) for 215 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, rushing for 216 yards and no touchdowns on 46 carries (4.70 ypc), as they gained 431 yards on a total of 64 plays (6.73 yards per attempt)…The offensive line allowed two sacks for minus 16 yards, five stops for losses totaling 21 yards and two quarterback pressures, as one QB hurry was charged to their left tackle.
Tulane…Quarterback Phillip Walker used his left tackle to break off serious yardage through the air to supplement a smothering defensive effort, as Temple continued to control its own conference destiny in a solid 31-0 shutout victory at Yulman Stadium…With the win, the Owls improve to 8-3 (6-1 American) on the season, good for first in the East Division…After a big pass play that put the ball at the Tulane 2-yard line, Temple failed to reach the end zone on its next two plays. Facing third-&-goal, Dawkins angled in-line, taking down reserve nose guard Brayon Edwards, as tailback Jahad Thomas bounced around the left tackle and guard to score the game’s first touchdown with a little over six minutes left in the first quarter…After clearing a rush lane used by Adonis Jennings for a 12-yard gain around left end, Dawkins fired off the snap, upending linebacker Nico Marley while leading the blocking on a 26-yard run by Isaiah Wright. The tailback then used a fold block by his left tackle and guard that eliminated three first level defenders, taking the ball over the middle on the way to a 22-yard touchdown run that capped a 10-play, 84-yard fourth quarter march that ended the day for the first unit offensive line, as the coaches liberally substituted their backups the rest of the contest…
Record Watch-Dawkins continued to add to his school season-record with his ninth game recording at least a 90% grade for blocking consistency. It also marked the 20th time during his career that the left tackle had reached that level of excellence, doing so despite missing eight contests as a Temple Owl…Since records were first kept in 1990, the highest total of 90% or better blocking performances recorded were twenty-one by Wisconsin’s Joe Thomas, accomplishing that feat in 47 games from 2003 through 2006…Primary Blocking Assignment-DE#90-Robert Kennedy (6:01-272)-No tackles: DE#87-Ade Aruna (6:06-266)-Two solo tackles…Dawkins Offensive Impact-The lineman recorded fourteen key blocks/knockdowns (seventh time in 2016 that he reached double figures) and registered two touchdown-resulting blocks (run plays), posting a season-high three second level blocks, but was penalized once, grading 95% for blocking consistency...Team Offensive Impact-The Owls completed 18-of-33 passes (54.55%) for 337 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, rushing for 196 yards and two touchdowns on 48 carries (4.08ypc), as they gained 533 yards on a total of 81 plays (6.58 yards per attempt)…The offensive line allowed no sacks, nine stops for losses totaling 24 yards and no quarterback pressures, but none were charged to their left tackle.
East Carolina…The Owls received the victory they needed to play for the AAC title clash for the second consecutive season, as quarterback Phillip Walker and the Temple offense outpaced the potent East Carolina air raid to seal the East Division behind a 37-10 mark. Dawkins recorded his ninth-straight blocking consistency grade of 90% or better, as he registered a dozen knockdowns and a trio of touchdown-resulting blocks…After a 44-yard pass completion by Philip Walker to Adonis Jennings, Ryquell Armstead followed his left tackle into the end zone from two yards out, as Dawkins lowered his pads and blasted linebacker Jordan Williams into the ground for the Owls’ first of five rushing touchdowns for the day... On a 1-yard dive by Armstead, Dawkins opened the rush lane by taking out the legs from under outside linebacker Dayon Pratt, ending a 12-play, 68-yard second quarter drive…Frustrated ECU defensive end Fred Presley was called for a personal foul after he tried to take a swipe at Dawkins’ legs after the left tackle had crushed his opponent to spring Jahad Thomas fort a 28-yard jaunt to the Pirates 6-yard line. The penalty reduced the distance to score to three yards, with Thomas again utilizing a drive block by his left tackle to score with 1:09 remaining in the first half…All-out-hand-to-hand combat was raged by Dawkins and Fred Presley, resulting in the Pirates defensive line getting caught up in the fray. Thomas took advantage of the “crowd” on the left side, slipping into the middle for a 3-yard scoring scamper that concluded a 76-yard, 11-play series…After the game, Dawkins fielded a slew of questions from the media - On tonight’s big win - “It took long days in and long nights out; blood, sweat, and tears to get back here so I’m very thankful. ECU was a great team and they played us hard. We’re excited to get the win.”…
How the season was turned around after slow start – “By following the process and focusing in on the small things.”…On Coach Rhule’s plan for Dawkins before coming to Temple - “Like Coach Rhule said, if I choose to come here and I trust in what he coaches, then I will get what I want in the end and so will he; that’s a conference championship and a winning season. Every year has been an improvement. Coach Rhule has stuck to what he said, and I’m going to stick to my promise to him and that’s giving my all.”…On having doubts on the football program during losing seasons - “In the beginning of course, but once I matured and realized that I have to follow the process then the sky’s the limit for Temple’s program.”…On being Coach Rhule’s first class - “Yes, we’re the second team to get this far and we’re in the position to do something that has never been done. For the guys who came in here with Coach Rhule, it’s very special to us because this is exactly what he said would happen. We just had to trust and believe.”…On adjustments O-line did to free up the backs - “We took everything personal. Every time our QB gets hit, we would punish ourselves. We just took it extremely personal and wanted to do right for the running back and quarterback. We had to realize that if we don’t bring our A game every game, then the offense can’t function. We had to put all the weight on our shoulders.”…On how the team is different from the Week One loss to Army - “We’re more focused, realized that winning is not easy in Division I ball. We had to lock in to what Coach was preaching and that’s the process of being 1-0 after every week.”…Record Watch-Dawkins continued to add to his school season-record with his tenth game recording at least a 90% grade for blocking consistency. It also marked the 21st time during his career that the left tackle had reached that level of excellence, doing so despite missing eight contests as a Temple Owl. Since records were first kept in 1990, the highest total of 90% or better blocking performances recorded were twenty-one by Wisconsin’s Joe Thomas, accomplishing that feat in 47 games from 2003 through 2006. Dawkins tied that mark after 43 contests…Primary Blocking Assignment-DE#99-Fred Presley (6:03-291)-One solo tackle; DE#97-Demage Bailey (6:05-317)-No tackles; DE#69-Justin Brown (6:01-281)-No tackles, one pass deflection…Dawkins Offensive Impact-The lineman recorded twelve key blocks/knockdowns (eighth time in 2016 that he reached double figures) and registered three touch-down-resulting blocks (all on run plays), grading 97% for blocking consistency...Team Offensive Impact-The Owls completed 12-of-20 passes (60.00%) for 158 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions, rushing for 256 yards and five touchdowns on 46 carries (5.57ypc), as they gained 414 yards on a total of 66 plays (6.27 yards per attempt)…The offensive line allowed no sacks, two stops for losses totaling nine yards and no quarterback pressures, but none were charged to their left tackle.
Navy (American Athletic Conference Championship Game)…Battling a multitude of uncompromising conditions, including a hostile crowd and a slew of historical shortcomings, Temple exorcized its figurative demons behind a 34-10 win over Navy, securing the American Athletic Conference Championship at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Field. Thanks to their left tackle delivering a trio of touchdown-resulting blocks, with their seventh consecutive victory, the Owls improve to 10-3 (7-1 American) on the season, locking up the program's first conference championship since earning the 1967 Middle Atlantic Conference title. Furthermore, the victory pushed Temple back into the 10-win column for the second straight year, another first for the Owls, setting up the team for another shot at the elusive (and record-breaking) 11th win…Despite an unfavorable wind pinning the Owls' offense deep in their own territory to start the game, Dawkins shifted inside to cut down strong-side linebacker Micah Thomas, as Adonis Jennings bounced off his left tackle, cutting back towards the middle of the field to scamper 20 yards before being tripped up at the Navy 31. Even though they were in field goal range on fourth-&-7, Temple elected to run a play from scrimmage, with Dawkins retreating to protect Philip Walker from rush end Amos Mason while comp[letting a 13-yard pass to Keith Kirkwood. That would set up a 15-yard touchdown run by Jahad Thomas to end the 12-play, 75-yard game-opening possession. Dawkins used his big paws to lock on and ride Mason inside. Thomas, lining up at flanker, came around to take the handoff, turning on the afterburners to race into the left side of the end zone…After opening a hole for an 11-yard run by Thomas, Dawkins protected Walker’s blind side, taking on a pair of defenders long enough for his quarterback to find Ventell Bryant with a 22-yard scoring strike for a 14-0 lead with 3:01 remaining in the first frame…
Dawkins flattened outside linebacker Ted Colburn, springing tailback Ryquell Armstead for a 25-yard gain on a third-&-2 running play. On the next snap, the left tackle lunged and missed in an attempt to block Mason and the Navy defender slipped into the backfield to take Thomas down for a 4-yard loss. That late second quarter drive ended with a missed Owls field goal try…On a delay late in the fourth quarter, Dawkins baited Colburn to try to slip into the backfield before the savvy veteran locked on and drove the linebacker towards the left sidelines. That opened a path used by Armstead to run the final 30 yards into the end zone to seal the 34-10 victory with 3:04 remaining in the contest…Primary Blocking Assignment-DE#52-Amos Mason (6:01-266)-Three solo tackles, one for a 4-yard loss; DE#90-Jarvis Polu (6:03-280)-No tackles; OLB#55-Ted Colburn (6:04-233)-One solo tackle…Dawkins Offensive Impact-The lineman recorded ten key blocks/knockdowns (ninth time in 2016 that he reached double figures) and registered three touchdown-resulting blocks (two on run plays; one for the passing game), but was penalized once for a false start, grading 97% for blocking consistency...Team Offensive Impact-The Owls completed 16-of-25 passes (64.00%) for 199 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, rushing for 189 yards and two touchdowns on 36 carries (5.25 ypc), as they gained 388 yards on a total of 61 plays (6.36 yards per attempt)…The offensive line allowed one sack for minus 10 yards, seven stops for losses totaling 27 yards and two quarterback pressures, as one stop for a 4-yard loss was charged to their left tackle.
Wake Forest (Military Bowl)…It was not the way Dawkins expected to see his college career end. His head coach had departed to take over as the new mentor for Baylor University. For the first time in school history, Temple would play in back-to-back bowl games, but right out of the gate, Wake Forest poured it on the Owls’ defense, leaving the team dazed by a 31-7 deficit at halftime. The heralded Temple ground game would be non-existent, held to minus 20 yards on 23 carries. To make matters worse, Philip Walker had to start slinging the ball to compensate for no rushing attack and he was playing injured, having dislocated a knuckle on his throwing hand earlier in the second quarter…The swarming Wake Forest defense, often sending three players around Dawkins’ side, managed to beat the left tackle for a pair of big sacks and a tackle-for-loss. Temple did mount a second half resurgence, but after the second sack given up by their left tackle at the Demon Deacons 6-yard line, the Owls succumbed to a 31-24 loss, leaving Temple with ten victories to show for their second-straight season…On a post pattern pass from Philip Walker to Adonis Jennings, Dawkins exploded out of his stance and instantly got his hands into the chest of Wendell Dunn, pushing the defensive end back as rush end Jaboree Williams and middle linebacker Grant Dawson all got pinned behind Dunn, allowing the pass to be completed for a 48-yard touchdown on Temple’s first play of the game…Dawkins worked in-line, leaving Duke Ejiofor a clear path to a scrambling Walker. The quarterback, sensing the pressure, tried to uncork an ill-advised pass, but the Wake Forest defensive end leaped as the toss left Walker’s hand and somehow managed to secure the pigskin for an interception midway through the second quarter. The Demon Deacons would then convert that turnover into a 9-play touchdown drive to increase the score in their favor to 31-7…
Dawkins exacted some revenge for the Wake Forest interception when he knocked down Ejiofor, springing Jahad Thomas for a 23-yard gain on a rushing attempt, but Temple failed to capitalize on the big play and eventually punted the ball away just before halftime…With the ground game all but invisible, Walker took to the air again for Temple’s second touchdown. Despite dislocating a knuckle when his throwing hand hit the elbow of safety Dezmond Wortham earlier in the first half that caused several of his passes to be overthrown since the injury, this time, he did connect again with his favorite target, Adonis Jennings, for a 58-yard score. Dawkins had baited defensive tackle Willie Yarbary and rush end Jaboree Williams into the backfield, only to hold off both defenders until Walker could flip the ball to Jennings along the left sideline. A few juking moves saw Jennings slip two tackles, redirect inside and then take off for the end zone with several Demon Deacons trailing from behind…With three defenders charging over the left side of Temple’s line, Dawkins could not contain them all. He was taken out of position by the swarm of Demon Deacon jerseys, and stood by watching as defensive tackle Josh Banks sealed the deal by sacking Walker for a big 14-yard loss that pushed the Owls back to their own 26-yard marker before the third quarter ended…Ejiofor made another big play at Dawkins’ expense, getting past the left tackle to chase down Walker for a 22-yard loss after Owls had marched 78 yards and had the ball at the Wake Forest 6-yard line. Temple would then settle for a fourth quarter 38-yard field goal to close their scoring deficit to 31-26 with 3:56 left in the contest…Primary Blocking Assignment-DE#53-Duke Ojiofor (6:04-270)-Three tackles (2 solos), one sack for minus 22 yards, two stops for losses of 24 yards, one interception; DE#14-Wendell Dunn (6:03-253)-No tackles; Rush DE#6-Jaboree Williams (6:0-237)-No tackles; DT#40-Josh Banks (6:04-290)-One sack for a 16-yard loss…Dawkins Offensive Impact-The lineman recorded seven key blocks/knockdowns and registered two touchdown-resulting blocks (both for the passing game), grading 80% for blocking consistency...Team Offensive Impact-The Owls completed 28-of-49 passes (57.14%) for 396 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, rushing for minus 20 yards and no touchdowns on 23 carries (-0.87 ypc), as they gained 3376yards on a total of 72 plays (5.22 yards per attempt)…The offensive line allowed four sacks for minus 59 yards, thirteen stops for losses totaling 79 yards and one quarterback pressure, as two sacks for minus 36 yards and three stops for a total loss of 38 yards were charged to their left tackle.
I have no clue, asking.
Are you giving Dawkins the round #2 nod here as a guard?