Spring Break
A 'Dread'-ful fall from grace
After a disastrous junior season, running back Andre Dixon is focused on returning to prominence
Kevin Duffy
Issue date: 1/29/09 Section: Sports
The walls of Andre Dixon's dorm room are mostly bare.
There's a one-page cutout of Dixon that ran in ESPN the Magazine taped above his desk. His sparkling clean, white No. 2 UConn jersey hangs directly above his bed, and, isolated about five feet to the right is a poster. The poster contains two photographs - one of Dixon, accompanied by his autograph underneath it and one of teammate Donald Brown, with his signature underneath it as well. The title "Dynamic Duo" stands out in big, blue font above the photos.
Dixon gazes up at the poster and utters, "That's what last year was supposed to be."
Indeed, it was. According to Athlon Magazine's 2008 college football preview, which is buried under a pile of papers on Dixon's desk, Dixon and Brown gave UConn "arguably the best tailback tandem in the Big East."
Numerous reports indicated that head coach Randy Edsall would use Dixon, a 2007 Second-Team All-Big East selection who led the Huskies in total yards (1,108) and Brown, who led the team with eight touchdowns, in the backfield together.
Things didn't go quite as planned. Dixon sprained his right ankle in a non-contact drill two days before the season opener against Hofstra. Brown, suddenly the clear-cut starter, scored a touchdown less than two minutes into the game and didn't look back.
Dixon's unimaginable - seemingly impossible - 2008 campaign can be summed up in one play. Tied 3-3 with Rutgers in the seventh week of the season, the Huskies were in desperate need of an offensive spark. Dixon trotted onto the field. His distinct dreadlocks -flowing out of his helmet with blonde tips on the end - knocked softly against the back of his white No. 2 jersey. Dixon settled into his stance, his hands resting on his knees and eyes locked straight ahead, hidden behind his visor.
The whistle blew and Dixon glided across the middle of the field. He ran untouched for about 15 yards until he planted his right ankle (still not 100 percent at this point), changed direction, and threw his shoulder into a Rutgers defender. Dixon lost his balance a bit, but stayed on his feet with nothing but open field in front of him.
There's a one-page cutout of Dixon that ran in ESPN the Magazine taped above his desk. His sparkling clean, white No. 2 UConn jersey hangs directly above his bed, and, isolated about five feet to the right is a poster. The poster contains two photographs - one of Dixon, accompanied by his autograph underneath it and one of teammate Donald Brown, with his signature underneath it as well. The title "Dynamic Duo" stands out in big, blue font above the photos.
Dixon gazes up at the poster and utters, "That's what last year was supposed to be."
Indeed, it was. According to Athlon Magazine's 2008 college football preview, which is buried under a pile of papers on Dixon's desk, Dixon and Brown gave UConn "arguably the best tailback tandem in the Big East."
Numerous reports indicated that head coach Randy Edsall would use Dixon, a 2007 Second-Team All-Big East selection who led the Huskies in total yards (1,108) and Brown, who led the team with eight touchdowns, in the backfield together.
Things didn't go quite as planned. Dixon sprained his right ankle in a non-contact drill two days before the season opener against Hofstra. Brown, suddenly the clear-cut starter, scored a touchdown less than two minutes into the game and didn't look back.
Dixon's unimaginable - seemingly impossible - 2008 campaign can be summed up in one play. Tied 3-3 with Rutgers in the seventh week of the season, the Huskies were in desperate need of an offensive spark. Dixon trotted onto the field. His distinct dreadlocks -flowing out of his helmet with blonde tips on the end - knocked softly against the back of his white No. 2 jersey. Dixon settled into his stance, his hands resting on his knees and eyes locked straight ahead, hidden behind his visor.
The whistle blew and Dixon glided across the middle of the field. He ran untouched for about 15 yards until he planted his right ankle (still not 100 percent at this point), changed direction, and threw his shoulder into a Rutgers defender. Dixon lost his balance a bit, but stayed on his feet with nothing but open field in front of him.
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