L'Damian Washington begins his first season at Southern's wide receivers coach. He comes to the bluff after serving as the Director of Player Development at Missouri.
Washington was a four-year contributor who spent five seasons in the Mizzou program under Gary Pinkel. He was the captain on the 2013 SEC East Champion Mizzou team. He caught 25 passes for 399 yards and three touchdowns in his first two seasons at Mizzou before moving into a starting role as a junior. In 2012, he caught 25 passes for 443 yards and two scores before exploding for 50 catches and 893 yards with 10 scores as a senior. One of his most memorable plays came in an upset win at Georgia that year, catching a double-pass from Bud Sasser to help Mizzou to a 41-26 between the hedges.
Upon graduation from Mizzou in four years with a psychology degree, Washington played for seven NFL teams and also played in the AAF and the XFL for the St. Louis Battlehawks.
Washington garnered national attention for his incredible strength and perseverance while he was starring on the gridiron at Mizzou. He lost both of his parents as a young kid, forcing he and his brothers to figure out a world on their own. He has served as a motivational speaker since graduating and his own personal experiences in life will make him a key member of the football staff at Mizzou moving forward.
