The Citadel Athletics

A product of Conway, S.C., Lawson served as an immediately impact figure for The Citadel football program, culminating in a senior season that garnered recognition on Walter Payton Award Watch List as well as notable national distinction as the Football Gazette National Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 13) and Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 13).

In 2007, Lawson orchestrated a potent offense that ranked fifth in the nation in scoring (40.1 points per game) and ninth in total offense (444.3 yards per game) prior to suffering a season-ending injury. Individually, his stats logged national attention as well, including: 17th in passing efficiency, seventh in total offense, t-21st in points responsible for, t-16th in passing, 15th in total passing yards and 17th in passing yards per game. Under his leadership, The Citadel also ranked 27th in rushing offense, 22nd in passing offense, 14th in passing efficiency, 24th in third-down conversion percentage, and t-11th in fourth-down conversion percentage.

A senior campaign flush with memorable moments, Lawson opened the season with a dominant 35-14 victory over local rival Charleston Southern, throwing for 224 yards and two touchdowns while adding 67 rushing yards. In a remarkable display against No. 7 Wisconsin, he led The Citadel to a 21-21 halftime deadlock, completing 23-of-35 passes for 254 yards. He recorded his 10th 200-plus yard passing performance at Chattanooga, throwing for 221 yards and pacing the rushing corps with 108 yards on the ground. In a clash with No. 8 Wofford, Lawson accounted for 222 yards through the air, becoming the school's all-time passing leader.

In the performance to overshadow all others, though, Lawson led the Bulldogs to a thrilling 54-51 overtime victory against league rival Furman, setting a career-high with 386 passing yards while also contributing 100 yards on the ground, shattering the 22-year-old school record for total offensive yards in a game (486 yards). Further, the victory also saw The Citadel offense register a new school mark with 641 total offensive yards.

Overall, Lawson and his leadership both on and off the field proved instrumental in The Citadel finishing the 2007 season with a 7-4 record, good for the most wins since the SoCon Championship season of 1992. Beyond his athletic achievements, the gunslinger demonstrated a commitment to service, taking his commission into the U.S. Army at halftime of the 2006 VMI game alongside four teammates. Even with his athletic career cut short by injury, Lawson undoubtedly left an indelible legacy of offensive excellence and leadership at The Citadel.