Lawrence Samuels facts for kids
Samuels with Adrian McPherson during a 2013 game.
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| Position: | Head coach | ||||||||||
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| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | May 1, 1970 Mobile, Alabama, U.S. |
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| 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 | |||||||||||
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| 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 well-known arena football coach and former player. He played as a wide receiver and linebacker. Lawrence played college football at the Livingston University. He was an AFL player from 1994 to 2010.
After his playing career, he became a coach. He was the head coach for the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League (AFL). He led the team from 2014 to 2016.
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Early Life and High School Football
Lawrence Samuels was born on May 1, 1970, in Mobile, Alabama. He went to Shaw High School in Mobile. In high school, Lawrence was a basketball player. However, he decided to try football. Many of his friends were already on the Shaw football team.
Playing Career in Arena Football
Lawrence Samuels had a long and successful career in the Arena Football League. He was known for his skills as both a receiver and a linebacker.
First Years with the Tampa Bay Storm
Samuels started his AFL journey in 1994. He joined the Tampa Bay Storm. During his first time with the Storm, he played until the 2000 season. In these years, he caught over 240 passes. He gained more than 3,100 receiving yards.
Time with the New Jersey Gladiators
In 2001, Samuels played for a different team. He joined the New Jersey Gladiators for one season. He had a great year, catching 65 passes. This was a lot for him at the time. He gained 742 receiving yards that season.
Returning to the Tampa Bay Storm
After playing for the Gladiators, Samuels went back to the Tampa Bay Storm. He finished his playing career there. From 2003 to 2007, he had many strong seasons. In four out of five of those years, he gained over 1,000 receiving yards. He even had three seasons in a row with over 1,100 yards. These were in 2005, 2006, and 2007.
He was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Ironman of ArenaBowl XVII. In 2007, he was again named to the AFL's All-Ironman Team. This was after he helped the Storm reach the playoffs. He had over 100 catches, 1,000 yards, and 100 touchdowns that year.
On June 15, 2008, Lawrence Samuels made history. He became the first receiver in AFL history to catch 1,000 passes in his career.
Hall of Fame Recognition
On August 10, 2013, Lawrence Samuels received a big honor. He was inducted into the Arena Football Hall of Fame. This means he is recognized as one of the best players ever in the league.
Coaching Career Highlights
After his successful playing career, Lawrence Samuels became a football coach. He has coached at different levels.
High School Coaching Roles
In 2002 and 2003, he worked as an assistant coach. He coached wide receivers at Central High School in Brooksville, Florida. Later, in 2005 and 2006, he was the offensive coordinator for the Wharton High School Wildcats. He also coached their receivers.
Coaching in the Arena Football League
In 2011, Samuels became the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Storm. He worked with Dave Ewart, who used to be his coach. In August 2013, Ewart was no longer the head coach. On September 5, 2013, Samuels was promoted. He became the new head coach of the Storm.
He coached the Storm until August 2016. At that time, he and the team decided to go their separate ways.
College Coaching Role
In 2022, Lawrence Samuels joined Tuskegee University. He was hired as the tight end coach for the Tuskegee Golden Tigers football team.
Personal Life
Lawrence Samuels has a brother named Chris Samuels. Chris was also a professional football player. He was a six-time Pro-Bowler in the National Football League (NFL). Lawrence is married to Kelli, and they have two daughters.
