CONWAY - Chase Dixon was all ready to become one of Central Arkansas’ top receiving threats this season, having turned in a solid spring camp during which he remained ahead of Thomas Hart as the Bears’ No. 1 tight end.
Then he was blindsided.
Dixon lost his father, Willie Joe Dixon, in May when he died at age 49 because of organ failure.
“It was a tremendous blow to me,” said Dixon, whose father played nose guard at Tulsa (1982-1985) before playing in the NFL with the Los Angeles Raiders, Houston Oilers and Atlanta Falcons. “My dad was the man who put me in football at 5 years old. I looked up to him my whole life.
“He was in the hospital one week and came out the next. I thought he was doing fine. Then a week later, he was back in and he passed two days later.
“It was three days before my birthday, so it was a big hit for me. It was hard to deal with.”
Everyone deals with the loss of a parent differently, but fortunately for Dixon he was able to turn to his football family.
“I needed them more than ever,” Dixon said. “When my dad passed, it was like a big chunk of me just went with him. Trying to get something to fill that void was something I needed to focus on.
“Coming back to my teammates this summer with all of their condolences and open arms, and the coaches with their support, it really meant a lot to me. It showed me that this team really is my family.”
Dixon has grown into a leader for the Bears.
He was listed at 6-2 and 165 pounds in 2008 during his senior season at Fort Smith Southside, but he has bulked up to 6-5, 239 pounds as a senior at UCA. The added strength has allowed him to deal with the requirements it takes to play tight end, which includes more blocking assignments than wide receiver.
“It’s totally different out there wrestling around with a cornerback who weighs 185-195 pounds than with a guy who weighs 260,” Dixon said. “The physical strain on your body, that’s the biggest difference.”
Dixon caught 8 passes for 84 yards and 4 touchdowns in 12 games last season, earning All-Southland Conference honorable mention honors. This season, he has caught a team-high three touchdown passes, one in each of the Bears’ past three games.
His 8-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter proved to be the difference in UCA’s 17-13 victory at Missouri State last Saturday, which ended the Bears’ two-game losing streak.
“I’ve been undersized at my position for the last couple of years, so the coaches stressed to me to stay in the weight room and eat and get my weight up and get stronger,” Dixon said. “I came to work hard and get ready for the season.”
UCA Coach Clint Conque said Dixon has drawn attention from several NFL teams who have had scouts at UCA practices. Colorado Coach Mike MacIntyre praised Dixon after the Buffaloes defeated UCA 38-24 on Sept. 7, going as far to say that he believed Dixon, receiver Dezmin Lewis and defensive end Jonathan Woodward would end up playing in the NFL.
“He’s grown with the position,” said Conque, who moved Dixon to tight end after the 2010 season. “Back in the spring, you could start to see the transformation with his body and his technique. He’s just starting to reach his potential in college. Certainly, he’s made some critical catches this season.
“I think his ceiling is very high.”
Dixon said he has always been motivated when it comes to football, but he admitted that he has an extra drive this season with the recent death of his father.
“I wish he was here to see this,” Dixon said. “It just didn’t work out like that.”
Up next Central Arkansas vs. McNeese State
WHEN 3 p.m. Oct. 5 WHERE Estes Stadium, Conway RECORDS UCA 2-2, 0-0 Southland Conference; McNeese State 4-0, 0-0 TV KARZ-TV, Comcast channel 9 RADIO KHLR-FM, 106.7, in Benton/Little Rock; KUCA-FM, 91.3, in Conway INTERNET ucasports.com
Sports, Pages 21 on 09/26/2013