By: Matt Rothman

Marjory Stoneman Douglas football continues to produce college athletes as Matt O’Dowd becomes the latest Eagle to commit, announcing on Sunday he’s playing next season at LSU.

“After speaking with Coach Orgeron and Coach Peetz, I am thrilled for the opportunity to play for the LSU Tigers, the premier football team in the country,” said O’Dowd.

He’s committing after playing two years on the varsity football team, leading them to a pair of District Championships.

As a junior, O’Dowd threw for 1,396 yards, and 15 touchdown passes and then picked up wins over Coral Springs and Coral Glades in 2020’s short season as he finished his high school career with a 10-2 record.

A resident of Parkland, O’Dowd began playing football in Lauderhill and won a Super Bowl as a kid. He doesn’t believe he would have gotten to this point if it wasn’t for his father, Frank, and mother, Rosemary. His dad helped on and off the field, and that is a big reason he became in love with football, and his mother helped him academically.

O’Dowd had the opportunity to play for Head Coach Quentin Short and credits him for helping him and Coach George LePorte for the hard work they put in for this program.

Coach Short says he has an extremely bright future ahead of him.

“He has great arm talent and is a very cerebral player,” Coach Short said. “He’s a student of the game, and he has been given a great opportunity to continue his playing career at a great university.”

He now joins the University of Maimi commit Michael McLaughlin, Nick Dobbs, Demetri Robinson, Jahrel Wilson, and Jaydin Fernandez as players from the 2020 football team committed to playing collegiately.

O’Dowd said, “The hard work and effort we put worth playing at Stoneman Douglas will prepare me for a successful college career.”

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Author Profile

Matt Rothman

Matt Rothman is a 2018 graduate from Florida Gulf Coast University receiving his bachelor’s degree in journalism. He is now attending the University of Florida as a graduate student. Matt also covers the New York Islanders for The Hockey Writer, the New York Mets for Last Word on Baseball and Florida Gators Athletics for ESPN Gainesville.