Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 17, 1993 TAG: 9309170076
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-13 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RINER LENGTH: Medium
Danny Dickerson carried that nameplate before the truck did. His coaches gave it to him - the name, not the truck. The senior football quarterback and safety considers a compliment to be so dubbed.
Dickerson has been kind of a big guy for the football team, in a variety of capacities, these past three years.
Funny thing is, nobody knows how much bigger he's liable to get.
An idea arrived, however, last week.
Dickerson was on hand, and in fact was one of the chief damage-doers as Auburn cuffed, browbeat, was rude to, and otherwise routed arch-Montgomery County rival Shawsville 28-6.
Auburn rolled up 273 yards and Dickerson's 141 yards of total offense contributed to that. Bobby Bonds scored three touchdowns from near point-blank range, but Dickerson kept the Eagles gliding up and down the field.
Dickerson also put forth a creditable effort at safety, being in on a number of stops, despite adjusting to a new position. He played defensive end and monster linebacker last year.
Dickerson was the difference on offense.
"He was consistent," first-year coach Steve Wright said. "He didn't make many mistakes."
Nor did he flinch with his toe, hammering in four conversion kicks without a miss and punting thrice for a 28.3 average.
Dickerson had a lot on his mind, playing for a new coach not being among the more minor. In addition to that, said coach had issued new marching orders on how he expected the quarterback position to be executed.
"He told me if I saw green [grass], to get my feet moving," Dickerson said.
No more hanging back in the pocket to protect a gimpy wing - either chuck that sucker or take off running. Just what Dickerson wanted to hear.
"Being able to run gives me so much more confidence," he said.
This is the best Dickerson has felt since August a year ago. That was when he was throwing a pass in a scrimmage against Craig County and got busted from behind by somebody's helmet. The blow curled his right (throwing) shoulder right over into an outrageously awkward position.
It hurt like crazy and it cost Dickerson the first game of the season. He was back after that, going both ways again, but there wasn't anything he did with his shoulder that felt good. Sometimes the misery was so ferocious that it forced tears to his eyes.
Just before the seventh game of the year, he had more tests done on the shoulder and the doctor told him to hang it up for the year or risk further damage.
"There was no way I was going to do that," Dickerson said. "I started the year and I wanted to finish. There were seniors on the team I'd never play with again."
The decision gives you a pretty good idea what kind of guy Dickerson is.
Other performances of note:
Carl Lewis of Pulaski County had 153 yards and two touchdowns on six carries in Pulaski County's 35-14 rout of E.C. Glass.
Giles tailback Raypheal Milton had 157 yards total offense and scored three TD's in a 29-6 victory over Floyd County.
by CNB