2015 Matt Dobson
Safety, Georgia Southern Eagles

Georgia Southern senior safety Matt Dobson, from Monticello, FL, had many great moments this season that help earn him the 2015 Freddie Solomon Community Spirit Award.
Dobson started all 12 games and finished the season with 62 tackles and three interceptions, returning one interception 100 yards to tie for the longest TD return in program and NCAA history. However, according to Georgia Southern, it was his pass breakup of the ULM game that helped secure the Sunbelt Championship for the Eagles.
Off the field, Dobson was a two-time Academic All-America selection by CoSIDA in 2014 and 2015. He carried a 3.71 grade point average and was named to the Georgia Southern President’s List for posting a 4.0 in the 2015 spring semester. He was a four-year member of Georgia Southern’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
In the community, Dobson volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club and for Special Olympics. He also participated in Relay for Life and Walk a Mile in Her Shoes in addition to Real Men Read and Red Ribbon Week at William James Middle School.
About The Award: Freddie Solomon played his college football at the University of Tampa and went on to play for the Miami Dolphins for three seasons before joining the San Francisco 49ers where he helped win two Super Bowl championships. His career in the National Football League as a wide receiver came to a close after 11 years. Then the Sumter, SC, native known as “Fabulous Freddie”, came back to Hillsborough County to make a more lasting impact. Solomon devoted the next 12 years of his life to the youths of Tampa Bay, working with the Sheriff’s department to teach kids life lessons through football. His efforts impacted more than two decades of youths and his lessons are still carried on in the community. The Freddie Solomon Community Spirit Award continues Solomon’s efforts to help make the world a better place by annually honoring a collegiate football player who has impacted the lives of others through giving and community service.