The wait is over for the Florida Gators and their fans. Jim McElwain announced on Tuesday that he has finished assembling his staff with the hire of Kerry Dixon to coach wide receivers.
“Kerry is a young, energetic, up-and-coming coach,” said McElwain. “He has strong recruiting ties throughout the state and as a former offensive coordinator he will bring value to the offensive game plan.”
Dixon spent last season coaching running backs at FIU. Prior to that he was the running backs coach at FAU and was tasked with replacing FAU’s all-time rushing leader in Alfred Morris. Dixon and the coaching staff were able to use a group of running backs and the production stayed the same at he position.
Dixon has spent eight years coaching at the college level, getting his start coaching quarterbacks at Morgan State. He moved on to coach the same position at Morgan State before getting a crack at being an offensive coordinator for a year at Stillman College. In his one season there, Kerry helped produce an All-American in running back Quinn Porter. Porter rushed for 138.6 yards per game and went on to play with the St. Louis Rams.
Dixon is the seventh wide receivers coach the Florida Gators have had in the past seven seasons and this will be his first time coaching the position.
Please re-read the article – we start talking about Dixon and in the middle switch to Davis. and then back to Dixon.
“…Davis has spent eight years coaching at the college level, getting his start coaching quarterbacks at Morgan State. He moved on to coach the same position at Morgan State before getting a crack at being an offensive coordinator for a year at Stillman College. In his one season there, Kerry helped produce an All-American in running back Quinn Porter. Porter rushed for 138.6 yards per game and went on to play with the St. Louis Rams.
Dixon is the seventh wide receivers coach the Florida Gators have had in the past seven seasons and this will be his first time coaching the position….” Say WHAT?
Considering the lengthy wait for this hire, I’m thinking this was coach Mac’s plan B. But, he is young and everyone has to get there start somewhere. I’m sure he’s energetic and he must have a solid offensive mind considering his impressive turnaround of the FIU rushing attack last year. With Dixon as RB coach last year they nearly doubled their yardage, going from around 850 to around 1500. And, he had 3 different backs average over 4.5 yds a carry, while FIU didn’t have a single RB average 4 yds a carry the year before.
I trust in McElwain. But I also recognize that after 4 years of Muschamp/Foley the UF football program is no longer ‘top-tier’. Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Auburn, Ole Miss, Mississippi State are a few of the SEC teams that are headliners. Florida must regain its rightful place. That can be done only one way. The Gators must win football games. With McElwain I feel Gator Nation can be optimistic.