Dwayne Dixon Named Broyles Award Finalist
Wednesday, December 5, 2001 | Football
Joining Dixon as finalists are LSU offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Jimbo Fisher; Virginia Tech defensive coordinator/inside linebackers coach Robert “Bud” Foster; Fresno State offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Andy Ludwig; Texas defensive coordinator Carl Reese; and Miami defensive coordinator Randy Shannon.
Dixon, who has worked with his alma mater’s wide receivers since 1990, coached perhaps the best trio of receivers in the country this season in sophomore Jabar Gaffney, junior Reche Caldwell and junior Taylor Jacobs. The three combined for 170 catches this season for 2,962 yards and 30 TDs. Gaffney and Caldwell both eclipsed the 1,000 yard plateau, making them only the second pair of receivers in both UF and SEC history to accomplish that feat. Dixon also coached the other pair as former Gators Chris Doering and Ike Hilliard also accomplished the feat during the 1995 season.
Gaffney and Caldwell were both named semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award (UF was the only school with two semifinalists) and Gaffney was then named a finalist for the nation’s top receiver’s honor. Since that award was established in 1994 UF has had the most semifinalists (8) and finalists (4) of any school in the nation, all coached by Dixon. Dixon has coached seven of the top 11 career touchdown leaders in SEC history. In his young career, Gaffney has set a NCAA Division I-A record for most TD catches in his combined freshman and sophomore seasons (27), and in 2000 set NCAA Division I-A freshman records for TD catches (14) and receiving yards (1,184).
The Broyles Award is named in honor of longtime University of Arkansas Athletic Director Frank Broyles, who developed a reputation during a stellar coaching career of producing top-notch assistant coaches. Former Broyles assistants have combined to win almost 20 percent of all Super Bowl titles, five national collegiate championships, more than 40 conference titles and more than 2,000 games. More than 25 Broyles assistant coaches went on to become head coaches at the college or professional level, including Joe Gibbs, Hayden Frye, Johnny Majors, Barry Switzer, Jackie Sherrill, Doug Dickey and Jimmy Johnson.
