Resurgence

Friday, December 4, 1998

Resurgence

FEATURE: Fighting back after two missed plays, Poli-Dixon back
on top

By Rocky Salmon

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

The words were whispered throughout the Rose Bowl on Oct. 17 as
the Bruins squeaked out a victory over Oregon in overtime:
"Butterfingers."

"Butterfingers," fans in attendance and the media would continue
to whisper.

After grabbing two catches for 62 yards in that game, split-end
Brian Poli-Dixon had another two that he should have caught that
overshadowed his two grabs.

Two slants. Two dropped balls.

The most crucial drop came near the end of the game, as
Poli-Dixon dropped a slant pass that would have continued a UCLA
drive and kept the ball out of Oregon’s hands.

A routine catch became a catch that could forever challenge
Poli-Dixon’s psyche.

It did not.

After the second drop, the receiver went to the sideline quickly
and slammed his hands together in anger.

"I had to get off the field because I was disgusted with myself.
You can’t afford to do that, especially in a game like this."

But that was not the end of it.

After the UCLA win, a reporter approached Poli-Dixon and asked
about his one crucial drop.

Instead of defending himself and fighting back like some players
would do, the sophomore lived up to his drops.

"That wasn’t one. It was two. Make sure you get that right. I
dropped two easy passes."

But that was just the beginning.

Before Toledo’s weekly press conference, Cade McNown talked
about the inexperience of his receivers.

"They are a young bunch, and sometimes don’t read the coverages
like they should," McNown said. "During the game, whenever the show
a blitz package it’s the receivers’ job to run the route
accordingly. But all that is learned through experience."

And experience is what Poli-Dixon is getting.

At the start of the year, the Bruins had what seemed like an
unstoppable wide receiving corps, as the receivers flew all over
Texas. Poli-Dixon snagged two touchdowns in the game.

It appeared that the terrifying trio of Freddie Mitchell,
Poli-Dixon and Danny Farmer were the perfect answer to the loss of
big-play guy Jim McElroy.

Then Houston hit the radar screen.

On a kick-off return, Freddie Mitchell was tackled and his leg
fell in an awkward position. The news came that Mitchell had broken
his femur and would be out for the year.

What made it harder for Poli-Dixon was the fact that they are
friends.

"When a play like that happens to you, you stop thinking you are
a superstar," said Poli-Dixon. "It makes you think about each play,
and you want to do the best you can on each play."

With Mitchell down, the weight of playing receiver fell upon
Farmer and Poli-Dixon. Farmer, with more time in the offensive
system, never lost a beat. But Poli-Dixon seemed to struggle as he
learned the timing offense.

"With the offense and having McNown shooting for the Heisman, it
puts more pressure on us. It’s hard because we run a timing pass
offense and if I get bumped at the line then it throws us off,"
said Poli-Dixon.

Poli-Dixon was supposed to replace the explosiveness of McElroy
but was slowed because of the system he was in. Eventually it
became clear that he would be a completely different type of player
than McElroy.

"McElroy can catch that short ball and take it to the house,"
head coach Bob Toledo said. "Poli-Dixon has made some long catches,
but he is not as fast and is a different type of player."

As Poli-Dixon matured this season and learned the constraints
and timing of the system, the Oregon game rolled around. Along with
two dropped passes came harsh criticism and a chance to lose
confidence in his abilities.

"I just lost focus on those two grabs. No excuses. I just have
to look the ball in before I run with it."

The next week at California, the media and fans buzzed about two
dropped passes. But then it was time to show the nation what
Poli-Dixon was all about.

Poli-Dixon flew into the offensive niche of the Bruins.
Literally.

On a stop-and-go with 3:26 to go in the first quarter, after he
already grabbed the team’s first touchdown that day, he made ESPN
highlights.

"Any receiver dreams about the quarterback throwing the ball a
little too far in front. That is when it’s time to show a little
something something."

McNown dropped back and lofted the ball towards the left
endzone. But the ball appeared to be too far from Poli-Dixon and
the cornerback had inside position. But Poli-Dixon had his chance
to throw back those playa-hating degrees in the critics’ faces.

"I came alongside of him and just laid out. I don’t remember
anything after that. I just saw the ball and knew I could get
it."

And with that catch he grabbed a new found respect from the
fans.

The next two games, Poli-Dixon was on fire as he grabbed five
catches for 80 yards against Stanford. Against Oregon State he
nabbed nine passes for 82 yards. Poli-Dixon was finally finding his
timing in the offense.

"The receivers are understanding more and more what it takes and
what they need to do," McNown said before the Washington game.

Now with Freddie Mitchell aiming to make it back in time for the
bowl game, Poli-Dixon is hyped and ready as he has started to
settle into the timing offense, leading the receivers in touchdowns
with eight.

So now those whispers of "butterfingers" have died out as
Poli-Dixon has eaten the criticism with his play.

But Poli-Dixon knows that he has a long way to travel ahead of
him before he can rise up. Every game will be a battle of
concentration to silence his critics.

LEAH SWALLEY

Brian Poli-Dixon has made up for a few dropped passes this
season by coming up with big plays when needed.

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