Dawkins returns for his fifth season at Murray State after spending last season at Chattanooga. During his lone season with the Mocs, Dawkins coached first team All-SoCon running back Keon Williams, who rushed for 1,037 yards and scored 14 touchdowns in 2014, as well as SoCon All-Freshman selection Rechardre Bagley. He was part of a staff that helped Chattanooga to its first ever FCS Playoff quarterfinal appearance and to its first-ever back-to-back SoCon title.
Prior to Chattanooga, Dawkins spent four seasons in Murray, where in 2012, he coached the duo of Jamaal Berry and Duane Brady who combined for 1,264 yards and 15 scores. In 2013, the pair once again combined for over 1,000 yards, this time 1139 to go along with 11 touchdowns. In 2011, Dawkins mentored Mike Harris who became the 10th 1,000-yard rusher in school history when he ran for 1,018 yards and 13 touchdowns with seven 100-yard games.
Cooper also joins the Racers from Chattanooga, where he spent two seasons coaching the secondary. In 2014, he led a secondary that was part of one of the most potent defenses in the nation finishing sixth in first down defense, eighth in total defense and ninth in pass defense. He also over saw the development of All-American punt returner Tommy Hudson and SoCon All-Freshman defensive back Tavon Lawson.
No stranger to the OVC, prior to Chattanooga, Cooper spent at both Jacksonville State and UT Martin. In 2011, he helped lead the gamecocks to an OVC title and helped pilot a defense that led the league in rushing defense, scoring defense, third downs allowed and interceptions. In 2010, with UT Martin, Cooper helped that defense lead the league in total defense allowing just 299.3 yards per game.
Hicks joins Murray State after a season as defensive quality control at California. Prior to his time with the Golden Bears, Hicks served as a graduate assistant at Cincinnati for defensive backs during the 2013 season. That season, the Bearcats' defense was one of the best in the country, ranking in the top 10 nationally in both rushing defense (6th, 104.5 ypg) and total defense (9th, 315.6 ypg).
He broke into the coaching ranks as a defensive graduate assistant at Alcorn State in 2012, helping a defense that led the Southwest Athletic Conference in pass defense and ranked fourth in the FCS, allowing a mere 156.0 yards per game.
