Michael ‘Flip’ Dixon is a big transfer portal addition to the Rutgers football backend. Turns out that he has always put his best foot forward…literally and figuratively.
In his first spring with Rutgers, Dixon is settling into a deep and talented secondary. The defensive back joined Rutgers in December out of the transfer portal and he brings some significant experience to the team’s back end.
Saturday represented Dixon’s first media availability since his transfer from fellow Big Ten program Minnesota. A good question, asked by Bobby Deren of 247 Sports, led to one of the most interesting tidbits from Saturday’s practice.
Deren asked Dixon how he got the nickname ‘Flip.’
“It came from my uncle man when I got it when I was a baby when I came from the hospital,” Dixon said before being asked why he got the nickname.
“My feet they was like long like flippers.”
And there, faster than you could say Flip flop, they was doing the bop, came out the truth about Dixon’s name.
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Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano and defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak will be hoping that Dixon leaves a strong imprint on the SHI Stadium turf with those flippers. With 30 games of Big Ten experience (and six starts), Dixon certainly adds a veteran’s presence to a unit that is young.
Last season at Minnesota, he posted 28 tackles and three passes defended, both career-highs.
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Settling in at a new program has been good for Dixon so far.
“It’s been good – I just getting adjusted and stuff like that,” Dixon said.
“It’s a similar culture to Minnesota so I’m just taking it day by day, getting adjusted.”
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