Rapheal Dowdye begins his fourth year at the University of RhodeIsland as the linebackers coach and his third as the team'srecruiting coordinator in 2013.
For the third straight season, one of Dowdye's linebackers earnedAll-CAA Football accolades. Sophomore Andrew Bose started everygame and earned Third-Team All-Conference honors after leading theRams with 86 tackles. Bose had 16 tackles at Richmond, tied for theninth most in one game in school history.
In 2011, Dowdye coached linebacker Doug Johnson to All-CAA thirdteam honors. Johnson, a junior in his first season as a Ram, wassecond in the conference in tackles for loss (16) and fifth insacks (6). Dowdye also had Dave Zocco in his unit. Zocco led theteam in tackles (99) as he and Johnson combined for 178 tackles and10 sacks under Dowdye's watch.
In his first season at URI, Dowdye's linebacking unit played akey role in limiting opponents to just 126.4 rushing yards per gamewhich ranked third in CAA Football. At the end of the year formerURI linebacker Matt Hansen was selected All-CAA Second Team and wassigned as an undrafted free agent by the Atlanta Falcons. TeammateJoe Harris led the league in tackles for loss with 21.0.
Prior to his time at URI, Dowdye spent six seasons as anassistant coach at Northeastern. In 2009, Dowdye served as theassistant head coach and running backs coach, and he guided NUtailback John Griffin to First Team All-CAA honors after hefinished the year with 1,009 yards. Griffin later signed as anundrafted free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals. Dowdye spent the2008 season as the defensive coordinator and served as defensivebacks coach from 2004-07.
During his time on the defensive side of the ball, Dowdye workedclosely with Nate Thellen and Cordelius Parks, who both rankedamong the best secondary players in the CAA. Thellen earnedthird-team All-Conference honors and led the team in interceptionsin 2008. Parks went on to sign as an undrafted free agent with theSt. Louis Rams. During his time with Northeastern, Dowdye helpedproduce three All-Conference players in the secondary.
Prior to his arrival at NU, Dowdye, spent four seasons coachingat Brown, two as the cornerbacks coach and two as the running backscoach. Dowdye mentored Nick Hartigan, who went on to become theschool's all-time leading rusher.
As a player, Dowdye was a four-year starter at cornerback forWest Virginia Wesleyan and was named All-Conference three times. Healso starred for the Bobcats in track & field as an All-Americasprinter. He graduated from WVWC in 1996 with a degree in BusinessManagement and Economics. He is single and resides inProvidence.
Updated June 14, 2013
