Crawford Alumni Center
Tech Took Us There
Still 鈥淎wesome鈥� after 30 years: 麻豆果冻传媒 alumnus reprises role as mascot
It鈥檚 not often that you get to relive one of the best experiences of your life. But
one 麻豆果冻传媒 alumnus got to do just that at this year鈥檚 Homecoming.
Brad Dozier (`95 business management) served as the Awesome Eagle mascot at Tech from 1991 to 1995. And at Tech鈥檚 Homecoming on Nov. 2, he was 鈥渁wesome鈥� once again.
鈥淵ou really can鈥檛 describe what it鈥檚 like to be a mascot,鈥� Dozier said. 鈥淚t takes a special human being to get in a costume and sweat your guts out just to entertain people. But once you experience that feeling, it鈥檚 better than anything out there. It鈥檚 so cool when a kid 鈥� especially one who was previously scared of you 鈥� gives you a hug or a high five.鈥�
When Sara Ramey, director of development for Tech鈥檚 College of Business, spoke with Dozier a few months ago, he shared how much he loved being Awesome. Ramey knew the Homecoming theme was 鈥�100 Years of Golden Eagles鈥� to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Tech鈥檚 mascot, and she wanted to find a way to include Dozier in the festivities. After speaking with Tech鈥檚 Crawford Alumni Center, Ramey learned that Spirit Squad Coordinator Sydney Hickerson had a Grandpappy Eagle (senior version of Awesome Eagle) costume but no one to wear it at Homecoming.
鈥淚 thought, what if we could invite Brad back to Tech to be Grandpappy at Homecoming?鈥� Ramey said. 鈥淚 felt that, based on my previous conversations with Brad, he might be willing to jump back into the role. He had indicated that he wanted to be more involved and was willing to help in any way that he could. I鈥檓 not sure that suiting up as the mascot again was what he had in mind, but I have to admit, this off-the-wall-idea could not have been more perfect for Brad. It felt like he was made for this moment.鈥�
Dozier remembers Ramey鈥檚 phone call well.
鈥淎fter Sara called me and asked me to be Grandpappy at Homecoming, I hung up the phone and started crying,鈥� he said. 鈥淏eing Awesome Eagle was such a huge part of my life and my college career. It was literally awesome to have the opportunity to do that again.鈥�
Dozier admits that being Awesome three decades later was challenging. After interacting with the crowd at the Crawford Alumni Center鈥檚 parade watch party, running around the field at the football game and supporting alumni award winners at the Evening of Excellence, he was exhausted.
鈥淵ou thought you were 20 years old again,鈥� he said to himself, laughing.
But Dozier says he loved every minute of it, just as he loved his time at Tech. Dozier was a third generation Tech student. His grandfather earned a degree from Tennessee Polytechnic Institute (which later became 麻豆果冻传媒), and both of his parents graduated from Tech as well. Dozier鈥檚 daughter graduated from Tech in 2023, becoming a fourth generation Golden Eagle.
Dozier was a member of Tech鈥檚 Student Government Association, ROTC and Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity but says he never set out to become Tech鈥檚 mascot.
鈥淢y parents did not send me to school to be a seven-foot yellow bird,鈥� he laughed. 鈥淏ut that鈥檚 what I became known for. Tech really made me who I am today. I would not have the personality I have now had I not had those experiences.鈥�
Alumni who attended Tech in the early `90s may not have known Dozier was the mascot 鈥� the identity of Awesome is typically a secret 鈥� but they certainly remember his impact on school spirit. Dozier started the trend of the backwards half-court shot at basketball games.
鈥淚t became my trademark,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ormally, the fans leave to get popcorn at halftime, but everyone would stay in their seats to see if I could make it. I think I actually caused concession sales to drop a bit. What鈥檚 funny is that people would say, 鈥極h my gosh, he鈥檚 throwing it backwards!鈥� But what they didn鈥檛 realize is that I had to throw it backwards because of the big beak!鈥�
Dozier was the first mascot to compete at the University Cheer Association Championship in 1992, where he won second place. Since then, Tech鈥檚 mascot has won the championship three times.
鈥淚鈥檓 not sure people realize how physically exhausting it is,鈥� Dozier said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e literally covered from head to toe. It鈥檚 hard to breathe. It鈥檚 hard to see. And you鈥檙e having to entertain people. When I would take the costume off, I was literally soaked in sweat. And one of the hardest parts is you can鈥檛 talk, and I like to talk.鈥�
Dozier said it was especially challenging not being able to speak at Homecoming this year when he ran into old friends and mentors. Dozier knows President Emeritus Bob Bell and First Lady Emeritus Gloria Bell well 鈥� Bell served as dean of the College of Business when Dozier was a student. The Bells attended the Crawford Alumni Center鈥檚 parade watch party on Homecoming.
鈥淚 walked up to them as Grandpappy Eagle, and I gave both of them a huge hug,鈥� Dozier recalled. 鈥淚 kept hugging them and trying to convey who I was. It wasn鈥檛 until later that Dr. Bell came up to me and said, 鈥楤rad! I didn鈥檛 know it was you in that costume!鈥欌��
Dozier said he also enjoyed reprising some of Awesome鈥檚 antics. In the `90s, Dozier would push the marching band conductor aside and conduct the band erratically. The band would then start playing erratically, too.
鈥淚 did that again at Homecoming this year, and it was amazing how fast the band knew what I was trying to do,鈥� Dozier said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know the band members 鈥� we hadn鈥檛 planned this ahead of time 鈥� but they picked right up on it.鈥�
Today, Dozier is an attorney focused on estate and financial planning. He jokes that people are surprised a school mascot would become an attorney but says his business degree from Tech has served him well.
鈥淚 encourage any student who doesn鈥檛 know what to major in to try business,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ven if you change your major, you will still have the business background everyone needs to function in the real world. I鈥檝e always been self-employed, and my business degree helps a lot with that. No matter what discipline you choose, you will always need to know how to prepare a budget and buy a car or house.鈥�
Dozier says he has often asked himself why people love a mascot so much.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 because the mascot brings spirit to everyone,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ven alumni who never played a sport love the mascot. You always need a focal point 鈥� a reason why you鈥檙e there. The mascot gives people something to rally around, whether it鈥檚 football, basketball, volleyball or track. The mascot is the same for every sport. The mascot is there for everyone. I remember walking into a football stadium or basketball arena and the crowd would be screaming, 鈥楨agle! Eagle! Eagle!鈥� There鈥檚 no feeling like it.鈥�
