55

Lamar Dawson

Class: Junior Hometown: Junction City, KY High School: Boyle County HS

Height / Weight: 6-2 / 235 Position: LB Birthdate: 09/22/1993 Experience: 2V

CAREER: He has 102 tackles (4 for losses, with 1 sack), 2 deflections and 2 interceptions in his career. He has 13 career starts.

2013: Dawson returns for his third season as a starting linebacker as a junior in 2013.

2012: Dawson started for his second season at middle linebacker as a sophomore in 2012. Overall while appearing in 12 games (all but Hawaii, which he missed with an injury) and starting 9 of those games (all but Syracuse, Arizona and Georgia Tech), he had 77 tackles (fourth on USC), including 2 for losses of 5 yards, plus 2 interceptions, 2 deflections and a forced fumble.

After getting 1 tackle against Syracuse, he had a game-best 10 tackles at Stanford, then 9 tackles against California, 4 tackles (0.5 for a loss) at Utah, 4 tackles at Washington and 3 tackles, 1 forced fumble and 1 deflection against Colorado. He had 5 tackles (0.5 for a loss) at Arizona, a game-best 11 tackles (0.5 for a loss) with a deflection against Oregon and a team-high 11 tackles with an interception against Arizona State. He had 6 tackles at UCLA and added 10 tackles (0.5 for a loss) against Notre Dame. He had 3 tackles and returned an interception 22 yards against Georgia Tech.

2011: Dawson emerged as the starting middle linebacker for the last 4 games (Colorado, Washington, Oregon, UCLA) of his 2011 freshman season, his first year at USC. Overall in 2011 while appearing in 8 games (all but Minnesota, Arizona State, Arizona, California), he had 25 tackles, including 2 for losses (with 1 sack). He had 6 tackles against UCLA, 4 versus Stanford and Colorado, 3 against Washington (with a sack) and Oregon and 2 against Syracuse and Notre Dame. He sprained his ankle against Syracuse and missed the Arizona State, Arizona and California games. He made 2011 CollegeFootballNews.com Freshman All-American honorable mention. He became just the second Trojan letterman ever from Kentucky (joining LB Kurt Barber, who lettered 1988-91 after prepping at Paducah Tilghman High).

HIGH SCHOOL: His 2010 honors included Parade All-American, Super Prep All-American, Prep Star All-American, U.S. Army All-American, Max Preps All-American second team, Max Preps All-American Medium Schools first team, Rivals 100, Prep Star Dream Team, Super Prep All-Dixie, Prep Star All-Southeast, Gatorade Kentucky Player of the Year, AP Kentucky Mr. Football and Louisville Courier-Journal All-State as a senior linebacker, running back and tight end at Boyle County High in Danville (Ky.). He had 158 tackles, including 8 sacks, plus 4 interceptions (1 for a TD) and 3 forced fumbles on defense in 2010, plus ran for 686 yards with 15 TDs and caught 19 passes for 270 yards (14.2 avg.) with 1 TD on offense. Boyle County won the 2010 Kentucky state 4A championship.

As a junior in 2009, he made Max Preps All-American Medium Schools first team, Max Preps Junior All-American first team and Louisville Courier-Journal All-State while getting 176 tackles, including 23 for losses, plus 2 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries. Boyle County won the 2009 Kentucky state 4A championship.

In his career, he made 502 tackles as Boyle County went 43-1 his last 3 years.

He also threw the shot put at Boyle County, with a best of 52-9.

GAME-BY-GAME WITH LAMAR DAWSON

2011