Former Seminole, Marshall coach Red Dawson applauds Thundering Herd's upset of Notre Dame
Red Dawson couldn't have been happier.
'Yes, from the first snap, I thought it was a great game," Dawson said in a telephone interview late Saturday afternoon.
"This wasn't just about national television - this is the unbelievable."
Dawson - the former Florida State Seminole (1961-64) All-American at both tight end and defensive end who later coached at Marshall from 1968-1972 - applauded the Thundering Herd's 26-21 upset of No. 8 Notre Dame Saturday in South Bend, Indiana.
According to NBC Sports, Marcus Freeman is the first Notre Dame coach in program history to start 0-3 in his career after losing the 2022 Fiesta Bowl to Oklahoma State.
It was Marshall's first victory over a ranked Power Five opponent since 2003. Marshall, which entered as a 20-point underdog, received a $1.25 million payout for the game.
It was a banner day for the Sun Belt Conference.
Following Marshall's win, fellow Sun Belt member Appalachian State stunned No. 6 Texas A&M and coach Jimbo Fisher 17-14 in College Station, Texas. Fisher left FSU for A&M five years ago.
Thundering Herd's Tallahassee, FSU connections
Marshall, located in Huntington, West Virginia, also has a Tallahassee and Seminole flair to it.
The team's offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach is Clint Trickett, a former quarterback at North Florida Christian and FSU.
Trickett joined coach Charlie Huff's staff in 2021 was wide receivers coach. He was promoted after one season following the departure Tim Cramsey, hired at Memphis as its offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.
Additionally, Marshall running back Khalan Laborn, a former five-star recruit out of Virginia, started his career at FSU in 2017.
Laborn rushed 31 times for 163 yards with a touchdown - a 4-yard run to open the game's scoring in the first quarter.
Marshall is home
Dawson, 79, still resides in Huntington, West Virginia after he started and ran a construction company for 35 years before retiring.
He's doing well despite suffering a stroke two years ago.
Dawson is also pleased to see FSU off to a 2-0 start under coach Mike Norvell, who is looking to lead the program to its first winning record since 2017.
Dawson co-captained the 1964 Seminoles with receiver Fred Biletnikoff. FSU upset cross-state rivals Florida 16-7 for its first win over the Gators in program history.
"We are sitting here, as happy as we can be," Dawson said. "It's always great to see (Marshall and FSU) win."
Dawson was recruited to FSU by coach Bill Peterson from Valdosta High in Georgia, where he helped lead the program to a pair of state championships. He was called "Red" for his red hair.
Dawson also asked about Ann Bowden, whose husband Bobby - the former legendary FSU coach - died a year ago August from pancreatic cancer. He was 91.
Ann celebrated her 90th birthday three days ago.
Dawson penned a letter that he read to Bowden over the telephone during Bowden's final days.
"Tell Ann and everyone down there I love them," Dawson said.
Reach Jim Henry at jjhenry@tallahassee.com.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Red Dawson thrilled to watch Marshall's upset of No. 8 Notre Dame
