Dixon likes his visit to UT

Safety Ahmad Dixon still considers himself committed to Baylor but was clearly impressed by his visit to Tennessee this past weekend.

“It was amazing,” said the 6-foot-1, 195-pounder from Midway High School in Waco, Texas. “I can’t really explain how great it was. It was a great visit. I got to meet a lot of good guys, good coaches. Just a great visit.”

Dixon is an interesting prospect for a number of reasons. First, he’s committed to Baylor but has recently shown interest in other schools, including UT. Second, his final three schools could be Baylor, UT and Alabama, which sets up a showdown between two SEC rivals.

And lastly, he’s good — real good. Dixon is widely considered one of the top prospects in the nation.

Dixon probably couldn’t help but envisioning himself in UT’s defensive backfield on Saturday in its game against Memphis. After starting seven consecutive games for UT, freshman Janzen Jackson was suspended. That opened the door for redshirt freshman Prentiss Waggner and true freshman Darren Myles Jr.

As if prospects needed more proof, coach Lane Kiffin reminded them with his Saturday lineup that he’s not afraid to play young players.

“It’s a real big factor,” Dixon said of Kiffin’s willingness to play freshmen.

Dixon said he’ll finalize his college decision after he takes an official visit to Alabama later this month. Auburn and Oklahoma State also have made a push.

Dixon’s next commitment could be his third. He committed to Texas in February after a visit to Austin and committed to Baylor in May.

“I still do,” Dixon said when asked if he considers himself a commitment to Baylor.

Quarterback’s Call: The Vols apparently haven’t yet offered a scholarship to Matt Simms from El Camino Community College in Torrance, Calif. That, however, could be a matter of time.

If UT does offer Simms as expected, he would likely commit, according to a source close to his commitment.

UT’s interest in Simms could hinge on the future of Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis. The Fighting Irish have two quarterback commitments, Andrew Hendrix from Cincinnati and Tommy Rees from Lake Forest, Ill., whom UT showed strong interest in. If Weis is fired, the Vols could be in play with one or both commitments.

Weis is under intense scrutiny after losing to Navy in South Bend this past weekend. Notre Dame is 6-3 and plays at Pittsburgh on Saturday, followed by a home game against Connecticut and a road game at Stanford.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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