Regarded as one of the best
Posted by Darryl D. Smith on April 23, 2008
Back in the day, Grambling State University was known as Grambling College. There were barracks and dirt roads. There was one academic building. And there was also one intimidating piece of land that football was played on.
“We called it the Dust Bowl,” said Joseph Dixon Sr. “Not too many people came out of there alive. They didn’t come out of there with many wins.”
Dixon’s battles in the Dust Bowl as a player helped him in the long run, earning him many coaching accolades. Now, Dixon can add another one to the list. Dixon is set to receive the Athletic Award as a football player at the 29th annual Prairie View Interscholastic League Coaches Association Banquet on July 26.
Dixon’s collegiate football at GSU would not have occurred if it weren’t for former coach Eddie Robinson.
“I was on my way to Tennessee State, and Coach Eddie Rob came to my house with a Bible in his hand,” Dixon recalled. “He talked to my mother. I came home with my bags packed to go to (TSU). My mom said that I had to go to Grambling, because Coach Rob said he was going to make me go to church every Sunday.”
Dixon was also on the 1955 squad that went undefeated in the SWAC.
“We won the national championship with only four plays,” he said. “We ran four plays to the left; we ran four plays to the right.”
Dixon had a monumental play that season, a play he’ll always remember.
“I blocked a pass, caught it in the air, and ran 12 yards for the game-winning touchdown,” he said with a smile. “I’ll never forget that play. It helped us go undefeated and win the national championship in 1954.”
Dixon’s success in football did not stop on the collegiate level. He carried on that success into coaching as well, winning championship after championship after championship.
“My coaching career hasn’t been too bad,” Dixon said. “A lot of coaches haven’t won one championship. My first four years, I won four straight.”
Dixon ended up becoming an exceptional football player and coach. For his hard work, he is now going to be honored by the Prairie View Interscholastic League Coaches Association. There’s one thing about Dixon; he has no regrets.
“I got a quality education at Grambling State University,” he said. “I played under the best college coaches and taught some of the best players.
“I would do the same thing all over again,” he said.
This entry was posted on April 23, 2008 at 12:48 am and is filed under Stories. Tagged: GSU, Joseph Dixon, Prairie View Interscholastic League Coaches Association. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
