The Recruiting Trail: Ouachita Christian
NOTE: This is the fifth in a series profiling prospects in Louisiana's top football programs. Ouachita Christian has advanced to the quarterfinals in four of the past five years and played in the semifinals twice.
Ouachita Christian head coach Steven Fitzhugh will spend much of spring practice trying to find players to fill the holes left by the loss of 12 talented seniors. That's a lot of spots, even for one of Class 1A's most successful programs.
Advertisement
But one thing Fitzhugh will not be looking for is a new place kicker. No, Taylor Dawson has that position locked up. Has had since he was a sophomore, in fact. And Dawson stands to be the Eagles' top college prospect next season.
"He's been kicking for about three and half years," Fitzhugh said about his all-state kicker. "Last year in the playoffs, he kicked a 49-yard field goal. He does a good job on kickoffs. And he also starts at linebacker for us.
"His sophomore year we had him at tight end," Fitzhugh said of the 5-foot-10, 180-pound Dawson. "We ask a lot out of him and he delivers."
As of now, Dawson does not have any scholarship offers, but he has received letters from Minnesota and many of the Ivy League schools in addition to the state schools.
When it comes to judging kicking talent, Fitzhugh has a pretty good reference point. Fitzhugh—who has been at OCS for 15 years, the last 11 as head coach—coached Keith Andrews, who booted a state-record 59-yard field goal in 2001. Andrews was recruited by Michigan and Auburn, but signed with Mississippi State.
"Keith was one of the best and Taylor has the capability," Fitzhugh said. "He just needs more consistency on his kickoffs. He has good hang time, but at the next level they want you to put most of them in the end zone. He has the leg strength. He just needs consistency."
The Eagles graduated a ton and have but a few returning starters coming back. One of the leaders on defense, along with Dawson, will be middle linebacker Harry Hawthorne.
"He is a hard-working kid," Fitzhugh said of the 5-11, 185-pound Hawthorne. "He's like a traffic cop out there."
An underclassman to watch is offensive guard Earl Ross Downs. At 6-2.5 and 245 pounds, this junior-to-be has the makings of a potential college prospect. Fitzhugh said that improving his footwork this offseason will be one of Downs goals.
OCS will host Springhill on May 19 for its spring game.