Viking football player Kahlil Dawson had what many players might consider a dramatic change last year. He moved from playing defensive back to wide receiver.  He'd played both positions at Kapowsin High School in Spanaway, WA though, so it wasn't a major adjustment.       

In fact, this year's co-recipient of the Pokey Allen Endowed Scholarship was outstanding on both sides of the ball in high school, earning first team all-League receiver and defensive back honors two years in a row.  He also was a first team All-Area wide receiver and was selected as the team defensive MVP.      

He's reluctant to pick a favorite since both sides of the ball have their strengths, he said.      

"They both have their good parts. On defense, I like playing with a group of guys. You communicate and work together. I like that. As a wide receiver, you can score touchdowns." said Dawson         

He's listed at 5-9 and "since I was of a smaller stature they recruited me as a defensive back. They wanted their receivers to be six feet or better," recalled Dawson.      

However, speed was among Dawson's tools and he worked his way into the lineup as a kick returner his sophomore year. To date, that's where he's had his biggest impact. As a sophomore, he returned his second-ever kick-off return in the first period of the Idaho State game for a 94-yard touchdown and was credited with igniting the Vikings' to a 34-14 win.   

He'd just begun to re-develop as a wide receiver last season when injury struck two weeks into fall camp.  Dawson missed the first three games. When he returned, he picked up where he'd left off in terms of kick-off returns, returning eight kicks for 263 yards, including one touchdown.

The touchdown provided the highlight of the season for him.      

"In the Cal Poly game, we were down 14-0 and they had the momentum. I took a kick-off return for a touchdown. As a returner you can swing the momentum," he said.      

But after four games back, the injury bug bit again…this time seriously…another shoulder injury. It required surgery.

In 2017, Dawson has been healthy and contributing. And wouldn't you know it… he returned another kickoff for touchdown against Montana on Sept. 30. Dawson has the fourth most kickoff return yards for a career - 1,453 - in Portland State history. He currently leads this year's team with 511 all-purpose yards.     

Wide Receiver Coach Evan Mozzochi said Dawson "is extremely intense.  He's always working hard and he's extremely competitive."      

Those attributes helped him work through the injury, which he calls "one of my most challenging times. It was very painful. I couldn't sleep on it so I had to sleep on my back. Then came physical therapy and that was pure torture."      

The injury meant three months with his right arm in a sling. But after that, he began to see day-to-day progress. "When you begin to see progress every day, it's encouraging and I began to come back.  In fact, I came back stronger than I was, both mentally and physically. It made me realize how mentally strong I was."       

His goals this season were to come back and make an impact…and, perhaps most importantly, to stay healthy.         

Dawson likes both positions he's currently playing.  "In both wide receiver and kick-off and punt returns you have a chance to make a play," he said.      

Returning kicks is different than returning punts, Dawson said.     

"The most important thing in returning kicks is speed. You see a hole and you have to hit it with as much power as you can." Punt returns "require tricky moves and leveraging your blockers."     

Last year, Dawson earned Big Sky honorable mention as a return specialist…not bad for just playing in four games.                    

At the end of winter term, Dawson will have earned his degree in criminology.  He'd like to coach football and he has contacts in law enforcement as some former coaches are sheriff's deputies back home.     

"Football has been part of my life since I was a baby and if I could continue in football, that would be ideal," Dawson said.      

But he's not there yet and Mozzochi has big plans for him this year.      

"Kahlil brings a great mentality and persistence. He's extremely tough and competitive. He elevates everyone else's game," Mozzochi said.