Name: CJ Lawson
Alma Mater: Southern California (USC)
Specialty: Defense
Age: 23
Defensive Playbook: Multiple D
Quarter Length: 8 min
Difficulty: Heisman (SECElite Sliders)
Year 2: 2015-2016 UTEP Miners
Position on Team: Defensive Coordinator
After a remarkable defensive season under CJ Lawson, he looked to try and improve his ability as a play caller going into his 2nd season. He knew one way to do that was to play better competition, so decided to change a few games on the schedule to help improve the schedule difficulty from F to C-. The schedule also had the Miners playing 7 games either at an opposing teams stadium or just a neutral site, so the team would be severely tested. Also with this season being the last on the contract for Lawson, he wanted to try and improve his name to potentially find another job in the offseason or be worth an extension. He already saw that his name was being respected as many expected UTEP to repeat as C-USA champs and even had 3 players on the defensive side of the ball as Pre-season All-C-USA players. Starting Cornerback A. James, strong safety W. Miller, and right outside linebacker T. Brown would be expected to hold down the defense for the miners.
UTEP would begin their season, on the road, against a hungry Texas Tech squad. The game started off in UTEP’s favor as their offense marched down the field on the first drive and Lawson did his best to keep the team in the game. UTEP went into half time down by 4 points with the score 14-10. It was after halftime that the wheels fell of the bus for UTEP and the offense threw consecutive pick 6’s and UTEP lost the game 42-33 and UTEP suffered their first loss of the season, a feat the Miners didn’t experience last season until their 4th game of the season. Next on the list was the rivalry game against New Mexico State. UTEP had full control of the game at halftime but allowed the aggies to sneak back into the game late. Lawson’s defense stepped up and got a needed stop on 4th down to win the game 31-28 and get the teams first win of the season.
After managing to get their first win of the season, UTEP would have to travel to Cowboys Stadium and press their luck against TCU and their proverbial defense. James managed to force a bad throw by the quarterback, Boykin, and pick it off and start the game off in UTEP favor. Lawson’s defense was playing flawless in the first half, but the offense wasn’t helping as they only put up 6 points and made the score 6-0 at halftime. Once again, after half, the wheels fell off and TCU scored 21 points in the 3rd quarter alone. UTEP would eventually fall 21-6 and fall to 1-2 on the season. The next opponent for the Miners was the Mean Green of North Texas. A win was crucial for UTEP as that was their start of conference play and despite their overall record, could still reach a bowl by winning their conference. UTEP had no problem and won the game 21-7 and knotted their record up at 2 wins and losses. UTEP’s game against Nebraska was really something for the boosters to help gain money and build better facilities, but it was during the game that those facilities were needed. Nebraska was ranked as the 18th best team in the nation and an upset win would be key in UTEP’s season if they had another breakout season. But during the game, starting running back N. Jeffrey went down with an abdominal strain and would miss the next 5 weeks. Plays later, Showers, starting quarterback scrambled on a broken pass play and got clocked by a defender, he too would go out of the game. Showers injury was only a mild concussion but returning to the game was not going to happen. UTEP found themselves down 17-7 at halftime and without their 2 star offensive players seemed like UTEP could potentially pull of the upset. Lawson began to believe it when he saw the Nebraska quarterback, Armstrong, went down with a sprained ankle and was out for the game. So mid-way through the 3rd quarter, 3 key players on both teams were out from the game. UTEP’s star corner James once again came up in the spotlight and got an interception in the red zone to end the Nebraska drive and returned it back into opposing territory. So going into the 4th quarter, the Miners were only down 17-14. Hope even increased when UTEP knocked out the 2nd string quarterback, and Nebraska would be falling back on their 3rd string qb to win the game. UTEP managed to tie the game up at 17 and went into overtime with momentum and the ability to steal the game, sadly the offense wasn’t feeling the momentum and was held to a field goal and on the first defensive play, UTEP misread Nebraska’s option and watched them walk into the end zone and lose the game 23-20. That loss made 3 for UTEP and many wanted Lawson’s head after getting a taste of success the year before. Sadly though Lawson was doing his job, the offense was the one under producing. Despite the media talking, Lawson went back to work and got ready for the teams next foe in FIU. This matchup would make the 3rd game for the 2 teams in the past 12 months and like the other 2 matchups, UTEP walked away victorious. After the game, Lawson finally got his first recruits of the season. One was a 6’5 receiver that could hopefully help the offensive side of the ball with his physical ability. The other was a full back that could help block and protect the quarterback. The next week was a bye week and they managed to pull in another receiver by the name of Williams and also get a defensive end named Smith, both players were 3-star prospects, and hopefully help UTEP stay as perennial C-USA powerhouse.
So through 6 games, UTEP sat at 3-3, with a (2-0) record in conference play. Also Lawson was only allowing 25.3 points per game, but the offense was only averaging 24.7, so unless Lawson could drop his PAPG some more, he would be without a job at years end. Little to Lawson’s knowledge, his next game would push him to the brink as it needed extra time. The game was against Louisiana Tech and a rain game nonetheless. The game seemed to be playing very slow as UTEP took a 7-0 lead into halftime and even started the 4th quarter up 7-0. Then UTEP watched the ball pass over their heads and into the end zone and the game be tied at 7 and have to go to overtime. There the game and teams went back and forth until the 6th, yes six overtimes, and UTEP defense forced the Bulldogs to kick a field goal. The kicker missed it wide right and UTEP won the game 37-34 and for the first time of the season, was above .500. After that game, UTEP would go on to win 5 straight games and finish their regular season at a 9-3 record and cracked into the top 25 for the first time under Lawson as defensive coordinator. Then it was time for the conference championship game, but UTEP would be the away team as this year there was a team that had a better record than them, the ECU Pirates had finished the regular season 11-1 and was predicted a BCS berth if they could escape against UTEP. Lawson did his best to try and play spoiler, but once again he did all he could and left it up to the offense to win the game. The score was 27-26 and the UTEP offense would get the ball, at the 50, all they had to do was move 15 yards and kick a field goal, but the offensive coordinator called 4 straight slip screen plays and only moved 3 yards. The game was over and UTEP suffered their 4th loss of the season, 2 more than they had a year prior, and also failed to claim a C-USA championship. Despite the loss, UTEP was still requested to come to the Liberty Bowl where they would do battle with a familiar foe, Mississippi State. Lawson kept Mississippi from scoring 28 as 24 seemed to be the offenses sweet spot, and UTEP would come out on top 28-21 and win their 2nd consecutive Liberty Bowl trophy and finish the season with double-digit wins for a second consecutive season.
After the final game, it was time to evaluate Lawson’s success and failures and UTEP felt he did well for the team and wanted him to return, as a defensive coordinator, but Lawson was sick of performing well and watching the team fail to win games against quality opponents. Lawson had worked hard and was really the reason the team managed to win 22 games in 2 seasons. It was a smack in the face when the head coaching position was vacant for a second straight year and Lawson wasn't even one of the 6 considered for the job. So Lawson was prepared to begin life after football in an Accounting field, what he graduated USC with a degree for, when he heard the new that John Alexander, the defensive coordinator for the Trojans, and the man who helped place Lawson in positions on the field to succeed, had retired and the Trojans were looking for a man to call their defensive plays. Right after hearing the news, he got a phone call and it turned out to be the USC athletic director and they were calling to ask if he wanted to return to his alma mater and help improve their team. Lawson accepted and booked a flight to LA. His first order of business was looking at the roster and he originally saw 4 players declaring early for the draft. Fullback Soma Vainuke, Left End Leonard Williams, right end Greg Townsend, and wide out Nelson Agholor. Lawson managed to talk with all of them and they all bought in to Lawson’s ability to help get the players to leave with a Pac-12 championship in their final year and also be able to leave with a degree. It was also time to try and finish USC’s recruiting and Lawson saw that he would have a lot easier of a time recruiting under Lane Kiffin that his other 2 seasons as neither of the Head Coaches devoted coach points towards recruiting as he helped USC bring in the #2 class of the nation. Lawson would have players to fit into his scheme and the facilities to develop, so the new journey for Lawson begins, back at the place he first started, as a USC Trojan.
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Coaching Resume/ Coaching History
07-17-2013, 10:58 PM
