Aug. 11, 2007

UNLV PLAYER OF THE DAY:

Travis Dixon, QB, 6-1, 190, FR-RS, Chandler, AZ (Hamilton HS)

Fleet of foot and up-and-coming on the Rebel depth chart, young quarterback Travis Dixon is our first 2007 Preseason Camp UNLV Player of the Day.

Listed as a co-starter along with incumbent signal caller Rocky Hinds, Dixon impressed fans all spring with his running ability. Now he's working hard on his passing game under new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Todd Berry.

"Travis has really been a pleasure to coach," says Berry, who last year coached QBs at the University of Miami. "He's a dynamic, athletic guy who is very coachable. When he makes a mistake he makes sure he doesn't make the same one again."

Berry says Dixon's height will not be a problem in the passing game this fall.

"No, not at all. I'm used to dealing with different sized quarterbacks," says the former head coach at Illinois State and Army. "We know how to make adjustments and manipulate the structure of the offense a little bit with a guy that is not as tall. If Travis earns the starting job, we will install that structure and not miss a thing."

Dixon, who competed in the team's first off-campus practice Saturday morning, says he is just trying to get better.

"Camp is going good. I'm still learning and trying to improve every day. Getting most of the snaps (while Hinds was injured) in the spring helped a lot and gave me a better feel for this offense."

Dixon, who grayshirted after leading Hamilton High to back-to-back Class 5A state championships in Arizona, completed 11 of 21 pass attempts for 124 yards, to go along with 23 rushing yards in the annual Scarlet vs. Gray game at Sam Boyd Stadium. Now he's pushing for UNLV's starting job as only a freshman.