STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State's Anthony Dixon and Charles Scott of LSU are a pair of power runners in the age of the spread offense.
They face off for the final time in their college careers today when the seventh-ranked Tigers travel to Starkville. After 30 years of dominance, the Power I formation is passing out of vogue, and with it the need for those bullish big guys with the 235-pound build and the nasty attitude.
Mississippi State and LSU have made the transition to the spread offense, but a few times this weekend Dixon or Scott will likely dig in 7 yards deep with a fullback to lead the way and go on a search for violent contact.
"You've got two guys that are hard-nose runners," Scott said. "It's old-fashioned SEC football at its best. That's the best way to put it. This is smashmouth, backyard football. No holds barred. It's big on big, man on man."
There was a time when a coach in the SEC could build his reputation around a powerful back with a little bit of speed. Players like Herschel Walker and Bo Jackson - guys who could run over or around tacklers depending on their mood.
Instead of carrying the load, Scott and Dixon find themselves taking on situational roles as they meet. Both still have significant roles in their offenses but are sometimes asked to do very different things than what they were recruited to do.
They share time in crowded backfields. Dixon is splitting time with three others, while Scott is giving up carries to Keiland Williams and Trindon Holliday, two smaller backs. Scott recently showed his versatility by catching atouchdown pass but is well off the pace of carries he was getting last season.
Dixon, who was suspended for his team's first game for a drunken driving arrest this summer, hasn't wasted any time in the two games since the suspension was lifted. He is averaging 107.5 yards per game. The 6-1, 235-pound Terry, Miss., na ve has quickly shown he's in the best shape of his career physically and mentally.
Dixon was the centerpiece of Sylvester Croom's powerrunning West Coast offense and entered the season as Mississippi State's career rushing attempts and touchdowns leader. With 2,818 yards, he needs just 3 to move into second place on the career rushing list.
He has fit in well with Mississippi State Coach Dan Mullen's spread offense so far and appears poised to pass Jerious Norwood's 3,212 yards by the end of the season, achieving a goal he set four years ago.
"When I first got here I set out to be the best," Dixon said. "It feels good to know I'm moving toward that way, but at same time I just want to do my job and win this game. Ifthat requires me to break this record, then that's what's up, that's what I want to do."
Scott, a 6-0, 234-pound Saline, La., native, is nearing the 2,000-yard mark for his career as he tries to become the fourth LSU tailback to rush for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons. Scott had 18 touchdowns last season, picking up two along with 141 yards in a 34-24 victory over Mississippi State last year.
Though their teams are turning to the spread, some of the personnel on each team look forward to a chance to become more physical this weekend. Defensive tackle Kyle Love, for one, can't wait till he sees Scott standing in the backfield.
"I enjoy watching Charles Scott play," Love said. "Really, he's one of my favorite runnings backs in the SEC or the nation because he's a guy who has one tempo, that's full speed, straight downhill. He don't care if his offensive line is in the way, your linebackers, the D Line. He don't care who's there.
"He's going to make sure he's going to run through you."
Sports, Pages 23 on 09/26/2009