Dowling concludes college career with one reception, Marine Corps offer

Published April 23, 2017 - Sean Dowling graduated from Fallbrook High School a semester early to begin his college studies and football practice with Vanderbilt University at the beginning of 2013. He will graduate from Vanderbilt next month with one remaining season of college football eligibility but will forego that senior season to start his career as a United States Marine Corps officer.

"I feel proud to serve my country and be a Marine Officer," Dowling said.

Dowling thus concluded his college football career with three playing seasons plus one on the Commodores' scout team, which emulates the formations of upcoming opponents.

"It was the greatest experience a young man could achieve and something that has taught me more lessons about life than any textbook," Dowling said.

Although Dowling joined Vanderbilt's Reserve Officer Training Corps program during his academic sophomore year and athletic freshman year, he was not expecting to receive an invitation to the Marine Corps' Officer Candidate School before exhausting his football eligibility.

"I didn't know this was going to be the end of my (football) career," said Dowling.

Dowling initially planned to work on a graduate degree while he was playing football during 2017. He may still pursue a graduate degree in the future, possibly as part of his Marine Corps activity.

"I had to make a choice of serving my country or playing fifth-year football," said Dowling.

After his graduation in May, Dowling will report to Quantico, Virginia, for Officer Candidate School. He will initially be a Second Lieutenant.

That doesn't preclude the possibility of a professional football career – Roger Staubach graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, served as a U.S. Navy officer for four years, and then spent 11 years in the National Football League with the Dallas Cowboys.

"Playing in the NFL has always been a dream of mine," Dowling said.

Other former college athletes chose to become career military officers. Dowling is unsure if he will be a career Marine Corps officer.

"I have a contract for four years and that's all I know at the moment," Dowling said.

Both of Dowling's parents became career Marine Corps officers, as did his paternal grandfather. Dowling attended schools in several sites as a Marine dependent and spent ninth grade at North Kingstown High School in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. He began the football season on the Skippers' freshman team but was promoted to the varsity for the final month of the season.

Dowling made his Fallbrook High School debut as a sophomore and was a two-year starter on the varsity football team. The Avocado East League coaches made Dowling an honorable mention all-league selection as a junior in 2011, and as a senior in 2012 he was a first-team Avocado East League selection and was also on the all-CIF first team. Dowling received his all-league and all-CIF honors as an offensive lineman but also played defensive line for the Warriors. Dowling was one of Fallbrook's team captains in 2012, and he closed out his high school career in the January 2013 Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl in Carson.

Dowling was also on Fallbrook's junior varsity basketball team as a sophomore, and he was involved in student government and active in Young Life while at Fallbrook High School.

Dowling was born in Alexandria, Virginia, and also lived in North Carolina, Seattle, Virginia, and Twenty-Nine Palms, as well as Rhode Island, Camp Pendleton, and Fallbrook. When Dowling was in Twenty-Nine Palms he made his football debut as a seventh-grader at Joshua Springs Christian School in Yucca Valley. He spent eighth grade at Zion Lutheran School when his family lived on base at Camp Pendleton, and that year he played American Youth Football.

Vanderbilt, which is located in Nashville, concluded the 2016 regular season with a 45-34 home victory over rival Tennessee. Dowling was notified by phone of his acceptance to Officer Candidate School after Vanderbilt's win over Tennessee. Dowling received the paperwork earlier this month.

"I was able to tell my coaching staff that I wasn't able to be around," Dowling said.

The Vanderbilt coaches were supportive of Dowling's choice to forego his senior year of eligibility.

"It's been a really accepting environment," said Dowling. "My coaching staff is proud of me and the path that I've chosen."

The team allowed Dowling to work with the squad in the football facility. "I'm definitely around the team. I'm around the guys," he said.

That allows Dowling to share his knowledge with the 2017 squad. "They've been there for me," he said.

Derek Mason became Vanderbilt's head coach in 2014. As a redshirt freshman in 2014 Dowling was a reserve offensive tackle for the first half of the season before being switched to a blocking tight end. Although a tight end is an eligible receiver, he is primarily a blocker and the Commodores had been having issues with the blocking by their tight ends.

"They asked me in the off-season right after the 2014 season ended if I would switch to tight end full-time," Dowling said.

The team request was sufficient reason for Dowling to accept.

"I love Coach Mason," said Dowling. "I love my team. I made the switch without any second thought and really embraced the role."

Dowling made some starts in 2015 and appeared in all of the Commodores' games. "I was really lucky to be able to do that," he said.

Vanderbilt uses as many as three tight ends. "My role is considerably different," Dowling said. "I was really lucky to be able to contribute."

During the 2016 season Dowling caught his first and only college pass. "The ball that I caught was actually not a play even called for me," he said.

Vanderbilt hosted Middle Tennessee State University on Sept. 10. The Commodores held a 19-17 lead late in the second quarter. Vanderbilt running back Ralph Webb gained 49 yards on a carry to bring the ball to the MTSU 13.

"At that point of the game it was still a little bit of a stalemate," Dowling said.

Vanderbilt quarterback Kyle Shurmur then threw a pass toward Dowling.

"We had the right personnel but the wrong play," said Dowling. "That play was intended for Jared Pinkney, but I ended up catching the ball."

Dowling advanced the line of scrimmage to the MTSU 7.

"It was actually a mistake," said Dowling. "It was not intentional. It was a relief to see that it ended up all right."

Four plays later Webb ran the ball three yards into the end zone to cap the seven-play, 75-yard drive. Vanderbilt eventually defeated the Blue Raiders by a 47-24 margin.

Dowling's blocking helped Vanderbilt running backs score 26 touchdowns during the season.

"I really enjoyed that," said Dowling. "That was my role. Knowing that I helped them succeed is a lot more sweet than a six-yard reception in the red zone for me."

Officially a player is considered a starter if he is on the field for a team's first offensive or first defensive play, but Dowling was considered a starter regardless of the formation when the Commodores first had possession.

"I kind of enjoyed the lack of recognition," Dowling said. "I was very proud to be able to do my role covertly and help my brothers out."

(Dowling has one biological brother; Collin Dowling graduated from Fallbrook High School in 2016 and is now a defensive lineman for the University of San Diego football team.)

Dowling closed out his college football career Dec. 26 in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he played in the Independence Bowl between Vanderbilt and North Carolina State. The 41-17 Vanderbilt loss gave the Commodores a 6-7 final record for the season, including a 3-5 mark in Southeastern Conference play.

The Independence Bowl was Dowling's first post-season appearance and his second bowl game with the team; during his redshirt year Vanderbilt defeated Houston in the Compass Bowl in Birmingham.

The win over Tennessee was thus Dowling's final regular-season game.

"That's the most important game for us," Dowling said. "All of them are important, but beating Tennessee is incredibly important."

Vanderbilt's five conference losses consisted of one by nine points, three by seven points – including a 23-16 result on the road against 11th-ranked Auburn – and one by three points.

"I left the program in a good spot," Dowling said.

Dowling majored in communication studies during his time in the classroom. "Vanderbilt is a tremendous institution and I have been really lucky to go here," he said.