Inside The Huskies

Talking Snacks and Smack with Husky Cornerback Thaddeus Dixon

The junior-college transfer appears to be enjoying himself in the heat of the competition.
Dan Raley|
Talking Snacks and Smack with Husky Cornerback Thaddeus Dixon
Talking Snacks and Smack with Husky Cornerback Thaddeus Dixon

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Washington Huskies

As a telling sign that position battles are turning real serious for this University of Washington football team, a handful of players on Thursday politely declined to do media interviews, among them more than one defensive back.

Thaddeus Dixon was not part of that reclusive group. The junior-college transfer, who finds himself right in the thick of the cornerback competition, seems to really enjoy talking about his time in Montlake and playing for a Power 5 program with all of its perks.

Every day he comes in and looks at the cornerback board that changes with each practice, offers film grades and tells him right where he stands, which is the only fair way to separate players and dole out starting assignments and playing time. 

The best perk?

"It would probably be that we have nutrition room in our weight room," said Dixon, who came in from Long Beach City College. "We didn't have that at my JUCO. We didn't get no type of meals. We might get a peanut butter and jelly sandwich maybe. I take advantage of that the most.

"In the nutrition room you can go in three any  time and make yourself some food, get some cereal, snacks, oatmeal and eggs. I take advantage of that the most."

This well-fed Dixon currently pencils out as a back-up player behind projected cornerback starters in Oklahoma State transfer Jabbar Muhammad and program returnee Elijah Jackson.

The step up from a two-year school has not been hard for him. His confidence won't allow it.

"I was built for this," he said. "It ain't going to be no butterflies for me. I plan on dominating from day one That's the goal, the plan."

Dixon has no trouble talking trash with starting quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Michael Penix Jr., who likes to dish it out, as well. Even better is how much his game is advancing with Penix on the other side, making him respond. 

"That dude is elite, man," Dixon said of the lefty. "It's just a blessing to be on the practice field with him. He's giving us the best look we're going to see all year."

He's a Los Angeles kid with a lot of bravado, unafraid of mixing it up with Husky offensive linemen during spring ball and someone who turned down overtures from hometown USC to come north. 

"I've been in that city my whole life," Dixon said. "I felt like it was time for me to spread my wings and grow. Being in L.A., at this point in my life, I didn't feel that was what I wanted to do. Seattle is my place."

Besides the snacks in Montlake are tough to beat.

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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