University of Georgia Athletics
Josh Dawson: A Team Player and a Game Changer
September 27, 2014 | Football
ATHENS, Ga. --- Josh Dawson is the definition of a team player. The junior from Tucker, Georgia may not start every game on defense. His name may not always be in lights. But when the game is on the line, Dawson knows how to make his moment count.
The Bulldogs were up 28-25 with 4:38 left in the game against Tennessee on Saturday. After forcing Georgia to punt on its last drive, the Volunteers had the ball on their own 1-yard line, ready to drive down field and drain the clock.
First down, incomplete pass.
Second down, fumble on the handoff from quarterback Justin Worley to running back Jalen Hurd.
Recovery by Georgia defensive end Josh Dawson in the end zone.
Touchdown Georgia.
"We do that every day in practice, so it's second nature," Dawson said. "We practice turnover recovery every day. When I saw (the ball) on the ground, I just tried to hustle over there and make a play for the team."
This was Dawson's first touchdown as a Bulldog and first defensive touchdown of his football career. In high school, Dawson played both sides of the ball and saw his share of the end zone as a tight end. But Saturday's touchdown was new for Dawson. He called it "one of my biggest experiences as a college player."
That may also be due to the fact that Dawson's touchdown was his second fumble recovery of the game. Midway through the third quarter, Tennessee running back Marlin Lane fumbled the ball on a third-and-three situation at the Georgia 21-yard line. At the bottom of the pile of players, there was Dawson holding tightly to the football.
"I just try to play hard because my team needs me," Dawson said. "When the opportunity comes, I try to make the most of it. The opportunity came today. Hopefully I made the most of it. "
Dawson is quick to credit his teammates because he knows his touchdown would not have been possible without them. When Georgia's previous drive ended short of a first down, Collin Barber punted the ball 50 yards and Damian Swann downed the ball at the 1-yard line.
"The entire second half we weren't really winning the field position game," Swann said. "With that punt we changed it and we were able to get points off of the defense."
Though Dawson says he will remember this day for a long time, nothing matters more to him than the Georgia win, 35-32 Bulldogs. That's the first priority. He is simply happy to have been a part.
"It was a close game, a hard-fought game, but we came out with the win," Dawson said. "It wouldn't matter if we didn't come out with the win, so I'm just thankful for the win.
