Dodson Gets Cougars First-Ever Mr. Football Award
It won’t be official until the end of the month, but Centennial linebacker Tyrel Dodson will win the 2015 Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Award for Class 5A Lineman of the Year.
By default.
The TSSAA removed his fellow 5A Lineman finalist Jeremiah Jackson from consideration Thursday following his arrest two days earlier.
But the Texas A&M commit looked like a clear favorite, anyway. Dodson had 16 tackles- 11 solo- and blocked a punt in Centennial’s quarterfinals win against Henry County on Friday night. On the year he has 103 tackles, 62 solo, 8 sacks, 2 interceptions and a fumble recovery. He also leads the Cougars with 15 touchdowns, all on the ground.
The TSSAA announced the list of finalists- which includes six local athletes- on Monday, Nov. 16, leaving two athletes in each category of the award. But on Thursday the TSSAA disqualified Dodson’s competition, Ooltewah linebacker Jeremiah Jackson, who was arrested on Tuesday night and charged with domestic assault when he allegedly slapped his ex-girlfriend during an argument at an Ooltewah basketball game.
“It is not left up to us to determine guilt or innocence in this type situation, but because of a report we received about an incident that happened involving Mr. Jackson, he has been removed from consideration for Mr. Football,” TSSAA executive director Bernard Childress said.
“Will not replace him with another finalist.”
The TSSAA later announced that Dodson was the winner.
He is the first Cougar ever to win a Mr. Football award. He tweeted:
this isn’t the way I wanted to win but it’s a blessing to be the be first https://t.co/b9n4tohVAa in CHS history!🏈 https://t.co/1p9vHA5JDC
— Tyrel Dodson (@tdots25) November 19, 2015
After driving her to the basketball game Jackson became upset when the girl, his ex-girlfriend and child’s mother, sat with another guy and refused to come talk to him, according to witness statements in the police report. The argument began after he, instead, approached her. She alleges he slapped her during the ensuing argument for sitting with the other guy, while Jackson told police he raised his hands to get her to back away from him, and that any contact lacked malicious intent. He was charged with one count of domestic assault and released on $500 bond. The girl, who the police report said had a cut on the inside of her lip where it hit her tooth, stayed at the basketball game where she filled out the school’s domestic violence report form.
Following the TSSAA announcement on Thursday, Jackson was not on the sidelines for Ooltewah’s 5A quarterfinal game on Friday night.
The awards are based upon on-field performance, but academics and character can be taken into consideration, according to the TSSAA Web site.
The winners will be announced in a ceremony on Nov. 30.
