Army West Point Athletics
MISSION FIRST: The Next Chapter
September 22, 2015 | Football, Athletics
Army West Point football fans might best remember Larry Dixon for his tough runs, those carries where he bounced off of the defensive tackle and then ran over the linebacker.
Or they may recall Dixon as the captain of the team his senior season, used as part of marketing campaigns, front and center during postgame press conferences after another stellar game where he deflected the praise to his teammates and coaches.
Dixon might also be remembered for his mega-watt smile, the generosity of his time for fans, young and old.
Fans might also remember those massive legs, tree trunks really that helped him climb near the top of the all-time rushing leaders chart at a school nationally known for rushing.
Regardless of how you remember Larry Dixon, he will certainly be remembered.
And fans will still see Dixon around Michie Stadium this season.
With a host of family and friends on hand, Dixon was commissioned as a second lieutenant in May and will serve as an athletic intern with the football program before beginning his military career.
That marked the end of his 47-month experience and concluded a phenomenal football career.
"West Point is the best thing that has ever happened to me," says Dixon. "Going through, it's a challenge and you wonder if it's ever going to end. It made me a better person. I made some great friends and had the opportunity to play Division I football."
A three-sport standout from Bremerton, Wash., Dixon had options. A stellar basketball player and running back, he also competed in track and field, focusing on the shot put and 100-meter dash. He was a three-time all-state selection as a running back, finished third in the state shot put competition and served as a two-time captain in both basketball and football.
He was recruited to play football at West Point but didn't visit campus until basketball season had concluded. He didn't want to leave his teammates while visiting schools so he postponed his trip.
Dixon grew up in a military family and wanted to explore West Point. His mother, Laura Ashley, is a retired senior chief petty officer in the United States Navy and his father, Larry Dixon Sr., retired from the Navy after 20-plus years as well.
Once he saw the place, met the coaching staff and learned about the Academy, Dixon was committed.
"National Signing Day is the first Wednesday of February and I knew I wanted to go to West Point the Friday after," Dixon recalls. "I was ready to go on a visit to (the University of) Hawai'i and I didn't want to waste Hawai'i's time since I knew where my heart was. I called Hawai'i to cancel and called West Point to commit."
First, he spent a year at the United States Military Academy Prep School and then immediately started to make his impact on the football team.
He played in all 12 games his first season and worked his way into the starting lineup later in the campaign. He rushed for 542 yards and five touchdowns, a preview of what was to come during his next three seasons.
Like most cadets, it wasn't an easy transition. He questioned if it was the right place for him before settling in as an Economics major and taking advantage of all West Point has to offer.
"I was pushing away from going to West Point and initially didn't want to go to school there. I didn't want the military lifestyle," says Dixon. "I talked to my mom and my sisters and my old coach who has since passed away and they all said it was the school for me and an opportunity to get a great education and play a sport I love. I realized that once football ends, the things that really matter are education and great people and I wanted to be surrounded by great people."
He relied on his close-knit family. He and his mother are very close, exchanging several texts and phone calls per day. She knew Larry's coaches and was at as many sporting events as possible. Older sisters Karisha and Shakira are always a phone call away.
"Any time I had an issue, my family was there," says Dixon. "My mom is a super positive person and she wouldn't let me get down. She drove home being positive. My sisters are two different personalities but they were always available. We didn't talk too much about West Point just more about life. They would let me vent away and then do everything they could to take the stress off of me. They are my biggest fans. They have always been there for me, always supporting. It was great to have them at graduation since they played such a huge part of it."
By his sophomore season, Dixon was a staple in the starting lineup and a key part of the triple-option rushing attack. He picked up 839 yards in 2012 and scored six times. He topped 100 yards rushing for a game for the first time in his career with a 136-yard effort against Northern Illinois at Michie Stadium. He also ran for 128 yards opposite Boston College and 106 versus Temple.
During his junior campaign, Dixon scored an additional six touchdowns on 705 yards. He ran for 125 yards against Boston College, scoring on an 80-yard scamper. He added a 71-yard run to paydirt and 113 yards at Ball State as well.
Prior to his senior season, Jeff Monken was introduced as Army West Point's newest football coach and overhauled the staff. After spring practice, Dixon and Geoffery Bacon were named team captains. The upperclass football players were able to do their summer training early and then returned to West Point to work in the weight room and take a class. Under the direction of head football strength coach Tim Caron, Dixon was able to add muscle while getting leaner.
"The biggest change was the longevity I felt," Dixon says. "The strength staff crushes you from January to August and it's hard. When you get to the season, it matters. Coach Monken knows how to get it done. His process is hard and to go through his process means working with Coach Caron and his staff. It's hard but you see the point. My senior season was the first where I played all 12 games and still felt good at the end of the season. I was very fortunate and blessed to work with the staff. They get to know you. Not just your name or your major but YOU. It's easy to respect them. They are grinding through workouts just like you. How can you not have respect for those guys. I wish I had more offseasons to work with them."
That hard work in the weight room paid off as Dixon posted 1,102 rushing yards during his senior campaign. He averaged 91.8 yards per contest and 5.8 yards per carry while scoring nine touchdowns.
Dixon opened the season with a 140-yard effort that included two touchdowns in a victory against Buffalo. He followed that up a few weeks later with a career-best 188 yards in a home win against Ball State. He concluded his career with 115 yards at Western Kentucky, 158 yards and three touchdowns against Fordham and a 90-yard contest versus service academy rival Navy.
"Two games stick in my mind," Dixon says. "San Diego State my freshman season and Ball State during my senior season. Both of those were significant, both at West Point and both I played in. I had three fumbles against San Diego State and I was awful and we lost by three points so you do the math. Ball State was my senior year and I ran for a bunch of yards and we won and my family was there. It was cool for my family to be a part of it. They remarked how much I had progressed and had grown, and that made that game really special for me."
He was rewarded with an invitation to the East-West Shrine Game to cap his illustrious collegiate career and several postseason honors.
In all, Dixon earned four varsity letters and concluded his career with 3,188 yards rushing, a total that is now fourth all-time. He passed Heisman Trophy winner Glenn Davis late in the season and trails only Mike Mayweather, Carlton Jones and Trent Steelman on the all-time charts.
Dixon rushed for 26 touchdowns during his career and is tied for sixth all-time with Heisman Trophy winner Felix "Doc" Blanchard. Eleven times, he topped 100 yards rushing in a contest.
Before he heads off to Basic Officer Leadership Course at Ft.Sill, Okla., he will join the coaching staff, for six months. He is unsure of what his career holds after branching Field Artillery.
"I go back and forth," Dixon says of his plans. "Some days, I want to do 20 years and retire. Some days join Special Forces. Some days do my five years. So many things can and will happen that will dictate what happens next. I will focus on meeting great people and taking it one day at a time."
The focus now is on helping the football team and being an asset to the program as an athletic intern. It's not a glamorous job by any means, lots of hours, breaking down film, preparing practices and whatever the staff needs. It's a job he will gladly take for an opportunity to give back to a program that has given him so much.
"I wanted to be around the team, the coaches and players," says Dixon of his role. "Coach Monken is building something special and I want to be a part of it. While I won't be in the same position, I will be able to be on the field with the guys and be around the team. This was a 'no-brainer.' I want to be a coach one day and I have so much respect for this coaching staff. How could I not come back and get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with Coach Monken and be around guys I have been friends with forever."
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Or they may recall Dixon as the captain of the team his senior season, used as part of marketing campaigns, front and center during postgame press conferences after another stellar game where he deflected the praise to his teammates and coaches.
Dixon might also be remembered for his mega-watt smile, the generosity of his time for fans, young and old.
Fans might also remember those massive legs, tree trunks really that helped him climb near the top of the all-time rushing leaders chart at a school nationally known for rushing.
Regardless of how you remember Larry Dixon, he will certainly be remembered.
And fans will still see Dixon around Michie Stadium this season.
With a host of family and friends on hand, Dixon was commissioned as a second lieutenant in May and will serve as an athletic intern with the football program before beginning his military career.
That marked the end of his 47-month experience and concluded a phenomenal football career.
"West Point is the best thing that has ever happened to me," says Dixon. "Going through, it's a challenge and you wonder if it's ever going to end. It made me a better person. I made some great friends and had the opportunity to play Division I football."
A three-sport standout from Bremerton, Wash., Dixon had options. A stellar basketball player and running back, he also competed in track and field, focusing on the shot put and 100-meter dash. He was a three-time all-state selection as a running back, finished third in the state shot put competition and served as a two-time captain in both basketball and football.
He was recruited to play football at West Point but didn't visit campus until basketball season had concluded. He didn't want to leave his teammates while visiting schools so he postponed his trip.
Dixon grew up in a military family and wanted to explore West Point. His mother, Laura Ashley, is a retired senior chief petty officer in the United States Navy and his father, Larry Dixon Sr., retired from the Navy after 20-plus years as well.
Once he saw the place, met the coaching staff and learned about the Academy, Dixon was committed.
"National Signing Day is the first Wednesday of February and I knew I wanted to go to West Point the Friday after," Dixon recalls. "I was ready to go on a visit to (the University of) Hawai'i and I didn't want to waste Hawai'i's time since I knew where my heart was. I called Hawai'i to cancel and called West Point to commit."
First, he spent a year at the United States Military Academy Prep School and then immediately started to make his impact on the football team.
He played in all 12 games his first season and worked his way into the starting lineup later in the campaign. He rushed for 542 yards and five touchdowns, a preview of what was to come during his next three seasons.
Like most cadets, it wasn't an easy transition. He questioned if it was the right place for him before settling in as an Economics major and taking advantage of all West Point has to offer.
"I was pushing away from going to West Point and initially didn't want to go to school there. I didn't want the military lifestyle," says Dixon. "I talked to my mom and my sisters and my old coach who has since passed away and they all said it was the school for me and an opportunity to get a great education and play a sport I love. I realized that once football ends, the things that really matter are education and great people and I wanted to be surrounded by great people."
He relied on his close-knit family. He and his mother are very close, exchanging several texts and phone calls per day. She knew Larry's coaches and was at as many sporting events as possible. Older sisters Karisha and Shakira are always a phone call away.
"Any time I had an issue, my family was there," says Dixon. "My mom is a super positive person and she wouldn't let me get down. She drove home being positive. My sisters are two different personalities but they were always available. We didn't talk too much about West Point just more about life. They would let me vent away and then do everything they could to take the stress off of me. They are my biggest fans. They have always been there for me, always supporting. It was great to have them at graduation since they played such a huge part of it."
By his sophomore season, Dixon was a staple in the starting lineup and a key part of the triple-option rushing attack. He picked up 839 yards in 2012 and scored six times. He topped 100 yards rushing for a game for the first time in his career with a 136-yard effort against Northern Illinois at Michie Stadium. He also ran for 128 yards opposite Boston College and 106 versus Temple.
During his junior campaign, Dixon scored an additional six touchdowns on 705 yards. He ran for 125 yards against Boston College, scoring on an 80-yard scamper. He added a 71-yard run to paydirt and 113 yards at Ball State as well.
Prior to his senior season, Jeff Monken was introduced as Army West Point's newest football coach and overhauled the staff. After spring practice, Dixon and Geoffery Bacon were named team captains. The upperclass football players were able to do their summer training early and then returned to West Point to work in the weight room and take a class. Under the direction of head football strength coach Tim Caron, Dixon was able to add muscle while getting leaner.
"The biggest change was the longevity I felt," Dixon says. "The strength staff crushes you from January to August and it's hard. When you get to the season, it matters. Coach Monken knows how to get it done. His process is hard and to go through his process means working with Coach Caron and his staff. It's hard but you see the point. My senior season was the first where I played all 12 games and still felt good at the end of the season. I was very fortunate and blessed to work with the staff. They get to know you. Not just your name or your major but YOU. It's easy to respect them. They are grinding through workouts just like you. How can you not have respect for those guys. I wish I had more offseasons to work with them."
That hard work in the weight room paid off as Dixon posted 1,102 rushing yards during his senior campaign. He averaged 91.8 yards per contest and 5.8 yards per carry while scoring nine touchdowns.
Dixon opened the season with a 140-yard effort that included two touchdowns in a victory against Buffalo. He followed that up a few weeks later with a career-best 188 yards in a home win against Ball State. He concluded his career with 115 yards at Western Kentucky, 158 yards and three touchdowns against Fordham and a 90-yard contest versus service academy rival Navy.
"Two games stick in my mind," Dixon says. "San Diego State my freshman season and Ball State during my senior season. Both of those were significant, both at West Point and both I played in. I had three fumbles against San Diego State and I was awful and we lost by three points so you do the math. Ball State was my senior year and I ran for a bunch of yards and we won and my family was there. It was cool for my family to be a part of it. They remarked how much I had progressed and had grown, and that made that game really special for me."
He was rewarded with an invitation to the East-West Shrine Game to cap his illustrious collegiate career and several postseason honors.
In all, Dixon earned four varsity letters and concluded his career with 3,188 yards rushing, a total that is now fourth all-time. He passed Heisman Trophy winner Glenn Davis late in the season and trails only Mike Mayweather, Carlton Jones and Trent Steelman on the all-time charts.
Dixon rushed for 26 touchdowns during his career and is tied for sixth all-time with Heisman Trophy winner Felix "Doc" Blanchard. Eleven times, he topped 100 yards rushing in a contest.
Before he heads off to Basic Officer Leadership Course at Ft.Sill, Okla., he will join the coaching staff, for six months. He is unsure of what his career holds after branching Field Artillery.
"I go back and forth," Dixon says of his plans. "Some days, I want to do 20 years and retire. Some days join Special Forces. Some days do my five years. So many things can and will happen that will dictate what happens next. I will focus on meeting great people and taking it one day at a time."
The focus now is on helping the football team and being an asset to the program as an athletic intern. It's not a glamorous job by any means, lots of hours, breaking down film, preparing practices and whatever the staff needs. It's a job he will gladly take for an opportunity to give back to a program that has given him so much.
"I wanted to be around the team, the coaches and players," says Dixon of his role. "Coach Monken is building something special and I want to be a part of it. While I won't be in the same position, I will be able to be on the field with the guys and be around the team. This was a 'no-brainer.' I want to be a coach one day and I have so much respect for this coaching staff. How could I not come back and get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with Coach Monken and be around guys I have been friends with forever."
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Players Mentioned
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