Pulaski County hires Mark Dixon
- Thread starter eastspartan
- Start date
Great Coach. Hope he does some house cleaning. He will certainly change the toxic, no discipline environment that has been there for the past 6 years. Good luck.
Don’t taint him with critiques of the past. Congratulate Dixon on Dixon. He has nothing to do with your complaints of the previous coach.
Sure. But I’ve been the guy taking over before and it’s toxic to everyone when someone well-intentioned keeps bringing up their disdain for the old guy.
You obviously read way too much into my post. The environment that existed with James has nothing to do with Mark Dixon. I think that is obvious.
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Right. That’s why I’m advocating you not to congratulate Dixon by way of bashing his predecessor.
I'm excited for my Cougars. Great hire! Thanks to coach James for getting us back in the conversation and competitive. Hopefully coach Dixon can even take it to the next level. Exciting time to be a cougar..
They were excited when they got Jones. They were excited when they got James. Maybe this one works out for them.
Dixon is an exceptional coach when it comes to line play and overall game management from the little I have watched of Galax so the trenches will be a war with PC from here on out. I am curious what he will run on offense with more weapons than I assume he has typically had at a 1A school.
Here is an interview with Dixon about the move:
https://pcpatriot.com/introducing-new-cougar-head-coach-mark-dixon/
https://pcpatriot.com/introducing-new-cougar-head-coach-mark-dixon/
I think the overall enthusiasm in PC, when Jones was hired, was alright, we got another Joel Hicks/Jack Turner style guy. Didn't turn out that way. I remember you being very vocal and and critical of Jones style once he was established there. Just don't know how long it took you to form that opinion. But Dixon's a great hire. I wasn't too sure he wanted to coach high school for much longer. But I don't think he would of moved unless he planned on being there a while.
I was not critical of Jones. But, I have always been critical of the spread offense. Especially in high school.
From what I understand Dixon is a power running, good defense guy but also has come to the conclusion that they need the ability to pass against the better teams to make them play straight up.
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I'm pretty sure you called his workouts --- Jane Fonda Workouts---.I thought it was funny. I like big boy football too.
I think Dixon genuinely thought about going to the college level a few years ago. But working a handful of college camps, he came to realize, high school was right where he wanted to be. He can have lifelong impacts on these kids that doesn't translate to the college level in the same ways.
Would have to agree with this statement - there is nothing worse than watching average high school teams running a pure spread offense. Spread is the fad now as it is all over the tv on Saturdays in the fall - but those teams playing on Saturday get to recruit their players - a luxury not afforded to high school teams. Also - running the spread at the high school level requires a special QB - and the years you don't have that guy it becomes harder to distribute the football to your other playmakers than it is in a more traditional style of offense. Even with a special QB - if he is having a bad night then the entire offense will sputter.
I am all for spreading things out and stretching the field but doing so by incorporating different formations out of a more traditional - power run style offense. If you are going to rely solely on the spread - which is an offense I think can work for the right program - you need to have a steady pipeline of athletes that can win one on one matchups on the outside and "that guy" to be your QB.
I think looking at 4A - the two teams that have the most consistent championship caliber teams are Lake Taylor and Salem - two programs that operate out of traditional run first downhill style offensive systems. I think that basing your offense out of these systems affords you the opportunity to lean on the strength of your team and tailor your offense to fit your strengths - whether it is a great offensive line, a stud tailback, or play action passing with a great QB/stud receivers.
At the end of the day any offensive system will work when you have the horses to make it go. I just believe that in high school it is better to build a program culture around lining up and being able to hang your hat on running the football.
This comment really makes no sense in the context of what I mentioned above but I get the point you are trying to make. But you could just as easily say they are loading the box to stop the run - hence the offensive and defensive philosophies are the same. Be able to line up and run the football on offense and line up and stop the run on defense.
Also - you have to be able to win 1on1 matchups to be successful on offense or defense - whether it's in the trenches, at the skill positions, etc. I like an offensive system that is most flexible in terms of choosing where those matchups occur. For some teams that is spread, others I formation, some wing-t, etc.... Lake Taylor structures their defense in a way that shows they believe in their secondary winning those matchups. I prefer the offensive system I vaguely described above as I believe it is most easily adapted to suit the types of players that will be coming through most programs from year to year and afford a coach the opportunity to tailor his play calling to fit his teams strengths/personnel.
I would also point out that I am not arguing against the spread - it is a system that works for many teams (i.e. hopefully we get the Highland Springs v Martinsburg matchup this year) but I believe in a place like Pulaski you are better off going with a different offensive system like pcken has alluded to. I also remember Highland Springs being in a shootout a few years ago in the playoffs and shifting gears - getting out of their spread - and dominating the game the rest of the way from a Power I look (if I were the Martinsburg staff I would try to get my hands on that film so I don't get caught off guard).
Now - after all that conjecture - I will get a point that directly applies to this thread and that is Mark Dixon. I had an opportunity to check out some Galax film (very little) and if I were a PC fan I would be as happy and optimistic as I could be because PC has just hired a coach with a proven track record of success and brings a style of football that will best suit PCs personnel and help build a culture of success.
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Not at all - I wasn't being argumentative either. Usin Lake Taylor as an example again - I have watched them play in a few of the state championship games and while they are primarily split back veer (a heavy run offense) - they utilize their skill and get matchups by getting in 2x2 spread and trips formations and take shots to their skill guys downfield. In fact - it was big plays out of their vertical passing game that helped them stake their lead against Tuscarora back in December.
That is the mentality I like - build a culture around being physical and running the football first and foremost and then maximizing the pieces/personnel you have to compliment your base offense. This can be done from a base spread offensive - but too many coaches in my opinion install the spread in a way that is more finesse than a physical run-first approach which is why I don't favor it at the HS level for most teams.
