NSU Football Coach Dawson Odums Signed Five-Year Deal

By HBCU DIGITAL
Updated: April 28, 2021

Norfolk State football coach Dawson Odums signed a five-year deal worth $240,000 annually. Odums is set to earn 33% more than his predecessor.

His contract also provides a provision stating the agreement will increase by one year if the Spartans finish in the top half of their conference in the third season.

Former Norfolk State coach Latrell Scott signed a four-year deal worth $180,000 annually when he took over in December 2014. Scott’s salary was a 16% increase over predecessor Pete Adrian’s $155,000 annual salary.

Odums’ contract includes seven performance incentives, including $10,000 for a conference regular-season title and $15,000 each for a Celebration Bowl championship, NCAA playoff selection and each NCAA playoff win. Should the Spartans win the FCS national championship, Odums would receive $100,000.

Odums joined Norfolk State after serving nine years as Southern University’s head coach. He led the Jaguars, of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, to a 63-35 overall record and 53-17 in the league. Southern won the SWAC West Division title four times and the conference championship in 2013.

Norfolk State hasn’t played a football game since Nov. 23, 2019, enduring the cancellation of the fall season and rescheduled spring season due to the pandemic. Spring practice also was cut short due to COVID-19 protocols, and the Green and Gold scrimmage was cancelled.

Odums’ contract is the second the school has recently announced. NSU basketball coach Robert Jones received a 50% raise this month, boosting his salary to $305,000 annually.

Jones, now the second-highest paid basketball coach in the MEAC, guided the Spartans to a conference championship and one win in the NCAA tournament this year.

Odums will look to improve on Norfolk State’s 5-7 record in 2019. NSU was 21-35 in five seasons under Scott.