After a 70-year absence, football returned to the Centenary campus this fall with scrimmages and exhibition games in 2023, gearing up for NCAA DIII play in 2024.
The team is led by Coach Byron Dawson, a Shreveport native who played for the Evangel Eagles and LSU collegiately. Following coaching stints as the Evangel head football coach and defensive line coach for Tulane University, Byron was hired in 2022 to re-establish football at Centenary. So far, it has been a remarkable success.
Coach Dawson sat down with us recently to reflect on the return of Gents Football:
What’s been the biggest challenge in re-establishing football at Centenary?
Building a new program is like building a house from the ground up. You must first do the prep work and lay a solid foundation. That is what we are currently doing with our team. The challenges arise from transitioning to a new program that consists mostly of freshmen. With that being said, I am really pleased with the maturity of our players and the great support from students, faculty, and staff.
How have you and your coaches been received while recruiting students for a new football program?
I think that most recruits are intrigued to see it all come together. From the building of the roster, the building of the facilities and watching us play this season on the field.
What’s been the reaction from the campus community and greater Shreveport community from Centenary re-starting football?
I can't say enough about the positive reception that I receive daily from the people in the Greater Shreveport Community. I believe that everyone is embracing the fact that college football is here, and we have a team to pull for.
What’s your assessment of how the season has gone so far? Are you pleased with the progress the team is showing?
Progress is always a process. We have two simple goals this season. We want to master the fundamentals and play as a team. In my experience, if we focus on those two details, the scoreboard takes care of itself. I am pleased that we are competing with and beating teams with more players and older players, but we have so much work to do and so many areas where we can improve.
Continued success to Coach Dawson and his Centenary Gents!
See photos from recent games: