Tuesday, August 10, 2010

SSU Dixon hopes to lose interim tag

Savannah State University interim head football coach Julius Dixon has a past history of high achievements (see bio below).

Julius Dixon has been in charge of Savannah State University's football program since Jan. 28, 2010 the day Robby Wells was forced to resign and interim athletics director Marilynn Suggs appointed Dixon interim head coach. Dixon, SSU's defensive coordinator the past two seasons, began preseason training camp Saturday with the interim tag still in his title. He also is listed in the Tigers' 2010 media guide as interim.

It's an awkward position for Dixon, but the 43-year-old Toccoa native said he is confident he has the support of SSU's administration.

"In this transition phase into the (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference), there were several requirements placed, football-wise, that had to take place," Dixon said Sunday during SSU's annual Media Day at Tiger Arena. "It's really been a busy process for a lot of different people to make this transition work a little smoother.

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COACH JULIUS DIXON BIO

Julius Dixon, a native of Toccoa, Georgia, attended and graduated from Stephens County High School in 1985; earned his bachelor’s degree in political science in 1990 from Furman University.

As a star cornerback for Furman, Dixon was one of four freshmen to letter in his first year, and was a member of the 1985 NCAA I-AA runner-up team that finished with a 12-2 record and a Southern Conference championship. As a senior, he earned first team all-conference honors, and was the captain of the 1988 NCAA I-AA national championship team. That year, the Paladins compiled a 13-2 record, a conference championship, and earned the nation’s top scoring defense holding opponents to 9.5 point per game. During his four-year span, the Paladins recorded a 40-10-2 record.

Dixon entered his first year as the defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach for Savannah State University in 2009. He comes to SSU from Presbyterian College where, in 2007, he was the defensive coordinator and helped coached the team to a 6-5 record in their first year of Division I, FCS competition.

Prior to that, he spent 14 years as an assistant with Furman University; first as defensive line coach for three years, and then he served as the defensive backs coach for eleven years. During his tenure at Furman, Dixon coached three All-Americans and six All-Conference players. He also helped coach the Paladins to three conference championships (1999, 01, 03), and playoff appearances in 1999, 2001, 2004, and 2005. The 2001 team finished as the NCAA I-AA national runner-up.

Dixon got his start in coaching at Camden High School (S.C.). He served as an assistant coach for four years, from 1988-92. During his first year as an assistant, Camden went 15-0 and won the South Carolina AAA State Championship.

He is married to the former Tawanda Cooper of Kingstree, S.C. and they have two children; Jailyn (7) and Devin (2).

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