Five things to know about OU football's interim wide receivers coach, L'Damian Washington
NORMAN ― OU named L'Damian Washington as its interim wide receivers coach on Sunday.
The decision comes after Cale Gundy's sudden resignation. The former OU quarterback and longtime assistant coach stepped away from the program Sunday after reading out loud what head coach Brent Venables described as a "racially charged word" during a film session last week.
Washington joined OU's staff as an offensive analyst and assistant wide receivers coach in January. Here are five things to know about him.
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Washington was a standout wide receiver at Missouri
Washington played for Missouri from 2009-14. The Shreveport, Louisiana, native chose the Tigers over programs such as Louisiana-Lafayette, Nebraska and Tulsa.
After redshirting in 2009, Washington appeared in 12 games in 2010 and made one start. He tallied five receptions for 35 yards.
Washington then recorded 20 receptions for 362 yards and three touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore in 2011, and he became a full-time starter the following season. Washington converted his expanded role into 25 catches for 443 yards and a pair of scores.
Washington became a go-to option for Missouri as a redshirt senior in 2013. He racked up 50 receptions for 893 yards and 10 touchdowns despite being limited with a left turf toe during the final five games of the season.
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Washington played against OU in 2011
Washington was a redshirt sophomore when Missouri faced OU at Gaylord Family − Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Sept. 24, 2011.
The Tigers suffered a 38-28 loss, but Washington delivered a highlight moment midway through the first quarter.
The 6-foot-4, 205-pounder hauled in a 45-yard touchdown reception. It was his only catch of the game.
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Injuries derailed Washington's pro career
Washington signed with seven NFL teams from 2014-15.
He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Dallas Cowboys in July 2014 but was waived the following month after suffering a right shoulder injury.
Washington then had brief stints with the practice squads of the San Francisco 49ers, the New York Giants, the Cleveland Browns and the Miami Dolphins before signing a futures contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Jan. 8, 2015.
Injuries prevented Washington from competing for a spot on the roster once again. He was placed on injured reserve due to a calf injury and was waived soon afterward.
Following a three-week stint with the Kansas City Chiefs, Washington briefly appeared in three other football leagues. He spent one season apiece with the Canadian Football League's Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2017-18), Alliance of American Football's Birmingham Iron (2018-19) and the XFL's St. Louis BattleHawks (2019-20).
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Washington crossed paths with Bob Stoops in the XFL
Washington played for the St. Louis BattleHawks when the team opened its 2020 season with a game against Dallas Renegades, led by then-head coach Bob Stoops.
Washington had five catches for 20 yards to help St. Louis to a 15-9 win.
He had 21 receptions for 252 yards and one touchdown through the team's first five games, but the rest of the season was canceled in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The XFL then suspended operations in April.
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Washington is a motivational speaker
Washington experienced tremendous loss at an early age.
He was only 6 years old when his father was murdered and 15 when his mother died of a stroke after one of his high school basketball games.
Despite losing both of his parents and being rated as low as a two-star recruit by Rivals, Washington had a successful college football career.
He returned to Missouri in 2020 for a player development role and spent last season as Southern University's wide receivers coach, all while sharing his story as a motivational speaker.
"Many people see my story as one about heartbreaking loss," An excerpt from Washington's website, LDamian.com, reads. "But I see it more as a story about unimaginable opportunity. Have I had to overcome immense challenges and overwhelming tragedy? Yes. But then again, moving forward from every difficult experience has made me who I am today, because I choose to see it that way."
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football: L'Damian Washington named interim wide receiver coach
