JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -Craig Jenkins was the only guy in the stadium who could catch Mississippi State tailback Anthony Dixon.
Dixon rushed down the left sideline for a 63-yard touchdown as the Arkansas defense watched helplessly and was sprinting back to the Bulldogs’ sideline when Jenkins – his teammate – met him to celebrate.
“He’s kind of heavy for me,” Dixon said of the 315-pound offensive lineman. “He’s a heavy dude. My energy level was already low. It didn’t take much for him to take me down.”
Yet Dixon had just enough left to catch a 9-yard scoring pass to put Arkansas away in a 31-28 win that was all about the bullish 240-pound tailback.
The Southeastern Conference offensive player of the week finished with a career-high 179 yards rushing, one touchdown run, two scoring receptions and an understanding of what it takes to dominate in a way coach Sylvester Croom has always believed he could.
a good one. I’ve been waiting for that for so long.”
So have Bulldogs coaches, players and fans, who see Dixon as the engine that makes the offense go. The offense hasn’t gone far this disappointing season for Mississippi State (4-7, 2-5 SEC). If Dixon can put together another big day against hated rival Mississippi (7-4, 4-3) on Friday in the Egg Bowl, it will be a little bit of salve on a raw wound.
“The main goal of us going to a bowl game and maybe getting to a championship, that really hurt and left a bad taste in my mouth this year because I don’t think we filled out our potential at all.
“At least we can salvage some of it by beating Ole Miss. That’s going to give everyone a happy good feeling around here. And we’re just going to run with it,” Dixon said.
Running with it is exactly what opponents expect when they face Mississippi State. Just like everybody else, Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt knows what’s coming and has a simple message for his defense this week:
“Once again the defensive line has a job to do and that’s where it all starts, especially going against a tailback like that,” Nutt said. “There is no secret to what they are going to do. They are going to put the ball in his hands and we know that.”
t of a tailback.
Dixon simply beat the Arkansas defense to the corner on his long touchdown run and easily pulled away from the pursuit. He also had a 40-yard run in the game that was a combination of power at the line of scrimmage and speed in the secondary.
“Anthony Dixon, who I have a lot of respect for, has always been a very, very tough runner,” Nutt said. “I’ve seen him take a 60- or 70-yard run. He is faster than you think.”
Dixon used that combination of speed and power to rush for 1,066 yards and 14 touchdowns in a breakthrough season last year and expectations were high this season. But Dixon and the Bulldogs stumbled at the start and had trouble sorting out a series of troubles.
Croom has called the Bulldogs running game inconsistent – and there are many reasons for that.
Dixon injured his hip and groin early this year and got off to a slow start. The offensive line took time to come together after a series of injuries, illnesses and off-the-field problems. Also, speed rusher Robert Elliott blew out his knee.
And former backup Christian Ducre, in Croom’s frank assessment, is “not playing well,” and his role has been reduced. But against the Razorbacks, the Bulldogs found the right combination with Dixon carrying the load with an assist from Arnil Stallworth.
r 226. Dixon leaped to 852 total yards – fifth in the SEC – and could reach 1,000 yards again with a great game against Ole Miss. That milestone looked like an improbability just a few weeks ago. But Croom said coaches reduced Dixon’s options on running plays after a series of mistakes.
Turns out the short leash was all it took to channel Dixon’s potential.
“I look at each running back as an artist in his own right,” said Croom, who coached Barry Sanders and several other high-profile running backs in the NFL. “I’ve always tried to give guys the freedom to run in their own style, but not at the expense of the blocking scheme. So when that happens you have to put some restrictions.”
While limiting him in the running game, coaches increased Dixon’s role in the passing scheme. He caught a season-high five passes against Arkansas. Two went for touchdowns, including a nice one-handed grab after the defense appeared to let him run free on a play-action pass.
Dixon’s best day as a receiver came a year ago in the Bulldogs’ 17-14 win over the Rebels. He caught seven passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. But Ole Miss stuffed the Mississippi State rushing game and held Dixon to 26 yards on 11 carries.
yards per game.
Dixon has a plan, though.
“I’ve got to be quick,” Dixon said. “I’ve got to have my pads low. I have to be fast. I have to be aggressive. They’re a big defense. All of them run to the ball. They look hungry on film. I’m just going to have to attack them.”
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