Football
- Title:
- Outside Linebackers/Nickel Backs
- Email:
- ddixon2@bsu.edu
- Phone:
- 765-285-1202
Follow @CoachDDixon
Safeties Coach
Eighth Year at Ball State in 2016
Ninth Year as a Football Coach in 2016
Alma Mater:
Bachelor's - Florida ‘03
Recruiting Areas:
West Central Indiana
Illinois (South Chicago and Central Illinois)
Coaching Experience:
Ball State, assistant coach, 2009-present
Illinois, graduate assistant coach, 2008
Illinois, assistant strength and conditioning coach, 2006-07
NOTES: Moved to safeties coach in the summer of 2015 . . . on the Ball State staff for the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl St. Petersburg after the 2012 season and the GoDaddy Bowl after the 2013 campaign . . . tutored Eric Patterson to All-Mid-American Conference third team honors in 2012 . . . spent first four seasons at Ball State coaching the cornerbacks . . . coached Jamill Smith to All-MAC third team honors as a punt return specialist in 2012 . . . ESPN MAC Recruiter of the Year in 2012 . . . ranked as the No. 2 MAC recruiter by 24/7 Sports in 2012 . . . spent the 2008 season as a graduate assistant with the defensive line at Illinois . . . served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Illinois from Feb. 2006 through Jan. 2008.
Personal Information:
Date of Birth: Sept. 6, 1980, in Oak Hill, Fla.
Marital Status: Single
High School: New Smyrna Beach H.S. (Class of ‘99) in New Smyrna, Fla.
College: Bachelor’s -- Florida ‘03
NOTES: Earned All-America honors as a defensive back in high school before becoming a free safety at the University of Florida . . . played in 49 games with 25 starts for the Gators . . . team captain as a senior . . . managed 218 career tackles . . . named Florida’s Most Outstanding Defensive Back as a freshman in 1999 . . . named to the All-Southeastern Conference second team as a senior . . . two-time Academic All-SEC selection . . . part of six bowl games as a player and coach at Florida and Illinois . . . named Florida’s Male Outstanding Senior Leader among the entire student body for the fall of 2003 graduating class . . . spent the 2004 and 2005 seasons as a member of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts.
