Oklahoma football: Ricky Dixon, defensive icon from great OU era
By Chip Rouse
In recent seasons Oklahoma football has achieved great success despite a defense that has been widely criticized for giving up large chunks of real estate, especially at the back end, and points aplenty.
It hasn’t always been that way, though. The Sooners produced some outstanding defensive teams under Bob Stoops in the early years coaching tenure at Oklahoma. Barry Switzer also had some stellar defensive units, headed by All-Americans such as Lee Roy Selmon, George Cumby, Tony Casillas and Brian Bosworth.
Of Oklahoma’s nine consensus All-America selections between 1984 and 1987, six were defensive players, including defensive back Rickey Dixon, who is one of 13 former college players who this week were inducted into the National Football Foundation and the College Hall of Fame.
The former Sooner All-American defensive back was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, was represented at the induction ceremony in New York City by his son, Rickey Jr.
Dixon, who played four seasons at Oklahoma (1984-87), joins former teammates Bosworth, Casillas, Keith Jackson and head coach Switzer in the College HOF.
Oklahoma was 42-5-1 during the time Dixon played for the Sooners. He was the first OU player to win the Jim Thorpe Award, presented annually to the best defensive back in college football.
Dixon’s nine interceptions in the 1987 season still stands as a single-season school record, and his 17 career interceptions ranks second among the OU career leaders. Oklahoma represented the Big Eight Conference in the Orange Bowl all four seasons Dixon was a Sooner.
In 1985, Oklahoma defeated top-ranked Penn State in the Orange Bowl to capture its sixth national championship.
When his collegiate career had ended, Dixon entered the NFL as the No. 5 overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 1987 NFL Draft. He played for six seasons, five with the Bengals and one with the Los Angeles Raiders.
The 2019 HOF class will also be honored at the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl on Dec. 28 in Atlanta, where No. 4 Oklahoma will take on No. 1 LSU in one of the College Football Playoff national semifinal games.