Dizon an impact player for Colorado
By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer
It took one tackling drill during fall camp to catapult Colorado freshman Jordon Dizon from scout-team consideration to full-time starter.
Patrick Gleason • University of Colorado Sports Information
"One day out of nowhere, I just cleaned out one guy, and they said they should move me closer to the ball," he said. "And the next day, I was closer to the ball."
Freshman Jordon Dizon, a Waimea High grad, leads Colorado with 16 solo and nine assisted tackles.
Dizon, an all-star running back in high school, found himself at a new position for a third time in a week: linebacker.
The 2004 graduate of Waimea High was recruited to Colorado as an athlete, where "they put you at any position that is short in personnel," he said.
He was initially slated to play safety for the Buffaloes (3-0). But after playing there for about a week, coaches discovered his ability to take hits as a former running back allowed for an easy transition into making hits as a linebacker.
It wasn't like Dizon, the 2003 Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation Player of the Year as a running back, didn't have the background to play linebacker. He was an Advertiser All-State second-team linebacker as a sophomore.
"I'm totally committing myself to playing linebacker," Dizon said. "We have like 10 running backs. I think my playing time is at linebacker."
He said he was sixth or seventh on the depth chart as a safety.
"I was one of those guys who didn't even make it on the scout team," he said.
 |
| Jordon Dizon started at running back, moved to safety and has found a home at linebacker.
Patrick Gleason • University of Colorado Sports Information |
He leads the team in tackles with 16 solo and nine assists, averaging 8.3 per game. In the second game of the season against Washington State on Sept. 11, Dizon forced a fumble at the 2-yard line with about a minute to play. Colorado recovered the ball, and held on for a 20-12 victory.
"I noticed that in college, you only have limited opportunities," Dizon said. "And once you get that opportunity, you have to take it."
He said he is learning the intricacies of linebacking with the help of his teammates, but he still relies on natural instinct to make plays.
"I still have no technique at all," Dizon said. "I don't know what I'm doing. It's more the will, or want to play. Once you get to play a game, you never want to come out. College games are so fun."
That isn't the only transition he's had to make.
Off the field, Dizon said his school workload has been an adjustment.
"I had to write two papers this morning," he said. "My senior year in high school, I wrote two papers."
He's also had to adjust to the intensity of practices.
"In high school, you did it because you have to do it," Dizon said. "Here, you do it because if you don't, you could lose your position. You have to be on your 'A' game every practice.
"At first I enjoyed it, because I like competition. But it does start taking a toll on your body. My legs are dead."
It helps that assistant head coach and linebackers coach Brian Cabral is a Saint Louis School graduate.
"It's really cool to work with someone who knows about where you're coming from," Dizon said.
He said it also helps that the Colorado football program mandates that its players attend a religious ceremony every Sunday.
"Lately, I've become very religious," Dizon, a Catholic, said. "I'm away from my family, and you turn to God for certain things."
What he doesn't appreciate are the "Breakfast Club" meetings all freshman football players are required to attend at the school's cafeteria, where they meet at 6 a.m.
"I don't know what purpose it serves," he said. "Most of the people are sleeping at the 'Breakfast Club.' "
He said most of his freshmen teammates sit around at practice, and are allowed to go straight home every night, so waking up early isn't as bad for them.
But he isn't grumbling because of the playing time he's getting.
"Of course, you always have to give something to get something," he said. "I'm grateful to get to play, so I don't say very much. It's a dream come true for me."
Eating breakfast should be one of the most important things on his agenda.
"You have to be this big, bulky, fat guy," the 6-foot, 210-pounder said of linebackers. "I'm abnormally small. I'm smaller than our safeties. Our quarterback is bigger than me."
Notes: Colorado junior Vaka Manupuna (Saint Louis '01) is a starting defensive tackle. Also on the team are freshman inside linebacker R.J. Brown (Punahou) and freshman defensive end David Veikune (Campbell '04).
Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2457.
