Centenary Football is Back on the Table
Centenary football, a program brought to a halt in 1942, is now making its way back into Shreveport's spotlight. The Centenary Athletic Department, along with Centenary’s Athletic Director David Orr, has brought Byron Dawson on board to become Centenary’s first football coach in 80 years. Dawson, a former defensive lineman at Louisiana State University and former coach for Redemptorist High School Baton Rouge (2004), Evangel Christian Academy (2005-2019), and Tulane University (2020-2021), will step in to be Centenary’s head coach when re-establishing the program.
Many collegiate football fans recognized Centenary’s football program when it was active from 1922 to 1942, but the program started long before that. The first signs of Centenary football were seen in December of 1894 when the college was located in Jackson, LA. While located in Jackson, the team took numerous losses, primarily to Louisiana State University. In 1898 the program was shut down by Centenary officials who “resolved that we will not countenance or permit students of this College or any professor to engage in any Intercollegiate contests, of Baseball, or Football: or in any physical games outside of the college campus”(1898 trustees resolution report). After a minor pause, the program resumed in 1908 after the College moved to Shreveport, LA. Right off the ball, the program was destined for disappointment due to lack of experience and practice, but fast forwarding to 1922, Centenary Football retained Bo McMillin as the program's new head coach. McMillin had many successes as a player and fell nothing short of that. During his time at Centenary, McMillin (in the first three years) lost only three of twenty-eight games, produced Cal Hubbard, the only person in both the Football and Baseball Hall of Fame and entered Centenary into the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA). Unfortunately, the same year the program entered the SIAA, McMillin was lost due to a three-year contract he originally signed. Fortunately, Centenary Football acquired new head coach Homer Norton and went on to an undefeated season (1927-1934). Norton led the team to three undefeated seasons and was head coach at the time when Centenary Football received a stadium dedicated in their honor. In 1941, the program took a major halt (as a direct result of WWII) “‘All inter-collegiate athletic activities of Centenary College be discontinued for the duration of the war emergency…’” (Centenary Board of Trustees Executive Committee meeting, December 12, 1941/archives). After the 1941 halt, the program was revived but was unable to recover and was discontinued in 1947. Another attempt was made to create a football club at the College funded by the Student Senate (what we now know to be the Student Government Association), but no club could match the power of a legitimized football program. As Centenary has a vast history with football, the program being brought back will once again continue Centenary Football’s story and legacy.
As football is one of the most well-known sports in the world, David Orr, current Athletic Director, believes bringing this program back will not only help the athletic department but will bring more recognition to the school and to the Shreveport area. Orr is at the top of the totem pole when it comes to rebuilding this football program. Orr has to consider what he feels are the four most important requirements when reforming a program; raising money, capital resources, operating budgets, and facilities. As he considers all of the following, he also spends time on other aspects of the school that could be affected, such as population comfortability, the strain on academics with an increased population, equity, diversity, and integration. But what is so special about Centenary athletics? Coach Dawson states, “To bring football back to Centenary is a great privilege and honor. The program has a rich history and legacy in college football.” Football has the potential to bring more recognition to Centenary’s institution and increase in students, student-athletes, and potentially more tourists or residents. This football team can provide events for the city and school, including special game-day activities
