Lawrence Samuels
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Samuels with Adrian McPherson during a 2013 game. | |||||||||||
| Position: | Head coach | ||||||||||
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| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Date of birth: | May 1, 1970 | ||||||||||
| Place of birth: | Mobile, Alabama | ||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 215 lb (98 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Mobile (AL) Shaw | ||||||||||
| College: | Livingston (AL) | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
| As player: | |||||||||||
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||
| As coach: | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
| Career Arena statistics | |||||||||||
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| Head coaching record | |||||||||||
| Regular season: | 17–35 (.327) | ||||||||||
| Postseason: | 0–0 (.000) | ||||||||||
| Career: | 17–36 (.321) | ||||||||||
| Player stats at ArenaFan.com | |||||||||||
Lawrence 'Law Dogg' Samuels (born May 1, 1970) is a arena football coach and former wide receiver/linebacker. He played his college football at the Livingston University, and was an AFL wide receiver/linebacker from 1994 to 2010.[1] He received both his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Technology and Master's of Science degree in Education from The University of West Alabama. He was head coach of the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League (AFL) from 2014 to 2016.
Early life
Born in Mobile, Alabama, Samuels attended Shaw High School in Mobile. Samuels was a basketball player in high school, but was lured to the football field after seeing most of his childhood friends join the Shaw team.[2]
Professional career
Tampa Bay Storm
Samuels made his AFL debut in 1994 with the Tampa Bay Storm racking up 247 receptions through the 2000 season for over 3100 yards (3120 yards) in his first tenure with the Storm.
New Jersey Gladiators
In 2001, Samuels left the Storm and played the season with the New Jersey Gladiators, catching 65 passes (a career high at the time) for 742 yards, just short of his 844-yard career high receiving season he recorded the year before with Tampa Bay.
Return to the Storm
After a single season in New Jersey, Samuels returned to Tampa, where he finished his playing career. From 2003-2007, Samuels notched 1,000+ yards receiving in 4 of 5 seasons, including back-to-back-to-back 1,100 yard+ seasons in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Was named MVP and Ironman of ArenaBowl XVII.
In 2007, after 5 losses to begin the season, Samuels was again named to the AFL's All-Ironman Team after leading the Storm to a #3 seed in the playoffs. 100+ catches, 1000+ yards, and 100+ TDs also helped Samuels earn the honor.
On June 15, 2008, Samuels became the first receiver in AFL history to record 1,000 career receptions.
On August 10, 2013, Samuels was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame.[3]
Coaching career
In 2002 and 2003, he was an assistant coach and wide receivers coach at Central High School in Brooksville, Florida.
He was the offensive coordinator and receivers coach for the Wharton High School Wildcats during the 2005 and 2006 seasons.
In 2011, Samuels was named the offensive coordinator of the Storm, working with one of his former coaches, Dave Ewart.[4]
Ewart was fired in early August 2013, and on September 5, 2013, Samuels was promoted to head coach of the Storm.[5] Samuels and the Storm mutually agreed to part ways in August 2016.[6]
Coaching record
| Team | Year | Regular season | Post season | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| TB | 2014 | 8 | 10 | .444 | 2nd in AC South | – | – | – | – |
| TB | 2015 | 7 | 11 | .389 | 3rd in AC South | – | – | – | – |
| TB | 2016 | 2 | 14 | .125 | 4th in AC | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Philadelphia Soul in Conference Semifinals |
| TB Total | 17 | 35 | .327 | 0 | 1 | .000 | |||
| Total[7] | 17 | 35 | .327 | 0 | 1 | .000 | |||
Personal
His brother, Chris Samuels, was a 6-time Pro-Bowler in the National Football League
Lawrence is married to wife Kelli. They have two daughters.
References
- ↑ "Lawrence Samuels". www.arenafan.com. ArenaFan. Retrieved 2010-02-25.
- ↑ Mark Inabinett (October 21, 2013). "From Shaw High to the Hall of Fame: Lawrence Samuels among Arena League's legends". www.al.com. Alabama Media Group. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
- ↑ Mark Inabinett (August 11, 2013). "Lawrence Samuels going into Arena Football League Hall of Fame". www.al.com. Alabama Media Group. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
- ↑ Brandon Wright (September 5, 2013). "Storm taps Samuels as coach". www.tampabay.com. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
- ↑ "Storm Name Lawrence samuels Head Coach". www.tampabaystorm.com. Tampa Bay Storm. September 5, 2013. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
- ↑ "Storm And Lawrence Samuels Mutually Agree To Separate". arenafan.com. August 10, 2016. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
- ↑ "Lawrence Samuels Coaching Record". ArenaFan.com. Retrieved July 7, 2014.