Running back, Valparaiso (from Central Connecticut), 2017–⁠22

Aaron Dawson

Number
No. 21
Height
5′11″
Weight
220 lb
Class (2022)
Fifth-year
Hometown
Ewa Beach, HI

Aaron Dawson played running back at Central Connecticut (2017–⁠21) and Valparaiso (2022).

Career highs

241rushing yards, career highat Morehead State, 20222rushing touchdowns, career highthree times; last at Marist, 20226catches, career highvs. Drake, 2022

Team titles: Northeast champions, 2017

Rushing

Rushing yards, season by season, with his team’s record
SeasonTeamCarYdsAvgTDLong
2017Central Connecticut5132.604
2018Central Connecticut10616.1117
2021Central Connecticut2−1−0.501
2022Valparaiso2221,2045.41099
Career2391,2775.31199

Receiving

SeasonTeamRecYdsAvgTDLong
2018Central Connecticut155.005
2021Central Connecticut33210.7027
2022Valparaiso281665.9123
Career322036.3127

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2017Central Connecticut21RBYr 1
2018Central Connecticut21RBYr 2
2021Central Connecticut21RBYr 5
2022Valparaiso21RB5th (Yr 6)5′11″220

As each season’s roster listed the player (CollegeFootballData). Classes before the latest listing are counted back from it; “Yr 1” is the year on file where that count can’t place a season he played (a redshirt, transfer or 2020 year); height and weight as last listed.

Per play

SeasonTeamPlaysEPA/playPctileMedianTotalUsage
2017Central Connecticut (FCS)5-0.32––-1.6–
2018Central Connecticut (FCS)130.41––5.3–
2021Central Connecticut (FCS)60.03––0.2–
2022Valparaiso (FCS)2460.0625th (n=470)0.1413.532%

Expected points added: how much the player’s plays moved the team’s expected score, per play and in total. Plays: total EPA divided by EPA per play, the plays the source credits to him (for a receiver roughly his catches and runs, not every target; for a passer, not every attempt), so it can differ from attempts plus carries. Percentile: against the position’s regulars that season across all divisions on file (quarterbacks with 150+ plays, backs 60+, receivers and tight ends 30+), with how many there were (n) and their median; a dash means too few plays to rank. A season in progress uses the full-season bar scaled by games played, never below 75 plays for quarterbacks, 30 for backs and 20 for receivers. The cohort grows or shrinks with the source’s coverage each season (2025 lists far more players), so compare percentiles rather than raw EPA across years. FCS seasons are marked. Usage: the share of the team’s plays the player was part of (shown from 20 plays). From CollegeFootballData, 2013 on.

Game by game

2022 Valparaiso 12 games, 1,204 rushing yards, 10 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
Sep 3vs.Indiana WesleyanW 20–⁠17221470180
Sep 10atIllinois StateL 21–⁠28102903150
Sep 17atDartmouthL 13–⁠35133813180
Sep 24vs.San DiegoW 28–⁠2115480–––
Oct 8atPresbyterianW 41–⁠212316321110
Oct 15vs.ButlerL 25–⁠261415812100
Oct 22atMorehead StateW 40–⁠353124123110
Oct 29atDaytonL 24–⁠3118691100
Nov 5vs.St. Thomas (MN)L 7–⁠3417621240
Nov 12atMaristW 45–⁠242719922361
Nov 19vs.DrakeL 0–⁠24193306360
Dec 3atNew Mexico StateL 3–⁠65131704170
2021 Central Connecticut 1 game, −1 rushing yards
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
Sep 25atMiamiL 0–⁠692−103320
2018 Central Connecticut 1 game, 61 rushing yards, 1 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
Aug 30atBall StateL 6–⁠4210611150

No box score in the source for Sep 7 vs. Lincoln (PA); Sep 15 vs. Columbia; Sep 22 at Fordham; Sep 29 at Lafayette; Oct 6 at Robert Morris; Oct 13 at Bryant; Oct 20 vs. Sacred Heart; Oct 27 vs. Wagner; Nov 10 at Saint Francis; Nov 17 vs. Duquesne, so those games are not listed.

2017 Central Connecticut 1 game, 13 rushing yards
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
Sep 1atSyracuseL 7–⁠505130–––

No box score in the source for Sep 9 vs. Fordham; Sep 16 at Youngstown State; Sep 23 vs. Walsh; Sep 30 at Sacred Heart; Oct 7 vs. Pennsylvania; Oct 14 at Wagner; Oct 21 vs. Bryant; Nov 4 vs. Saint Francis; Nov 11 at Duquesne; Nov 18 vs. Robert Morris; Nov 25 at New Hampshire, so those games are not listed.

Box scores from CollegeFootballData, 2004 on. ✦ postseason; ★ a career high on file.

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