October 1st was more than just a normal game for defensive back Malik Dixon-Williams.
The weather was a cool 63 degrees in East Hartford. The stage was set for a challenging matchup against the Fresno State Bulldogs in which the Huskies were 23-point underdogs. It was set to be one of the toughest tests of the season for a UConn defense that had seen many to that point of the season against opponents like Michigan and Syracuse. Not many gave the Huskies a shot but for UConn's redshirt sophomore defensive back, that doubt only fueled him to have an outstanding performance that day at Rentschler Field.
"I'm pretty sure a lot of people doubted us after going on a stretch without winning," said Dixon-Williams.
It was the team's "Cancer Awareness" game and in a tribute to his late grandmother Joan, Dixon-Williams wore her name proudly taped to his wrist. With her name on his wrist and a pink cancer awareness sticker on his helmet, he ran into battle with his brothers, playing for more than just a win.
His relationship with his grandmother is a special one. He's used her spirit to fuel him in his rise to the FBS level. While Dixon-Williams was unable to meet her due to his grandmother's death when his mom was just 10 years old, he's expressed his love for her through his love for his family and playing the game of football.
"Every day I live and walk this earth, I do it for her and she's my everything," said Dixon-Williams.
He was playing directly through her that Saturday matchup as he fueled what would be one of the best defensive performances of the UConn season. Every play was in her honor. When the final horn sounded on the afternoon matchup, it not only resulted in a Husky win but also in an eight-tackle performance. During the game, he felt closer than ever to his grandmother.
"That big win was definitely a turning point for the defense and UConn as a whole," said Dixon-Williams.
It certainly was a huge shift in the season as the program would go from a 1-4 record prior to the Fresno State win to a now impressive 5-5 record heading into the team's last home game against Liberty. A win on Saturday will secure bowl eligibility for the program for the first time since 2015.
Dixon-Williams' excitement that week would only be continued by another memorable experience, a win in his home state of Florida. That game would be a special one for the Florida-born Dixon-Williams, who grew up in Orlando and had some of his closest family and friends in attendance. His girlfriend's family, who had never watched him play live before, got to witness him in action for the first time. The same family he plays for on every snap got to witness him help anchor the UConn defense to a 33-12 win over FIU.
"Just having that fanbase and that support, it's huge," said Dixon-Williams.
From the start, he knew in his heart that this would be a season he would never forget. The #1 on Dixon-Williams' jersey is a prime representation of that belief in the Huskies. While he wore #31 during his first two years with the program, the hire of coach Jim Mora, the revitalization of the coaching staff, and the overall culture change around the program compelled the UConn defensive back to have a new number.
"When Jim Mora came in, I knew the program was going to change and I knew last year didn't go the way I wanted it to go. So, I figured since the revolution was here, I might as well be a part of that revolution and make a big change, so I changed my number to have a new identity," said Dixon-Williams.
This season, that new identity has paid huge dividends for his college career. Dixon-Williams has had an improved sophomore season and with two games left, he already has 13 total tackles more than his 2021 total and has been a veteran leader all season for a younger core of hungry players who want success more than ever. That sentiment of winning has constantly been echoed by Coach Mora and the entire building. One quote, from the words of the late Jasper Howard, has been the best advice that Coach Mora has given to Dixon-Williams to help catapult his success.
"Play every play like it's the last play you'll ever play," said Dixon-Williams. "We have a lot of injuries, offense and defense, so it really hits hard when he says it because you never know when that last play will be. I just go out there with the mindset of you never know when your last play is and just go hard."
While many younger players haven't been through the moments that Dixon-Williams has, he's communicated the lessons that he's learned through playing the game every day, even going back to high football in Florida.
"Just keep your head up. Football is a long game, and you never know what's going to happen. Anything possible can happen at any moment. Just go out there, keep your head up, and keep fighting. After a bad play, just have that next play mentality," Dixon-Williams tells his younger Husky teammates.
When fans watch Dixon-Williams, whether that's in Saturday's upcoming matchup against Liberty or any future matchup, they'll be watching a player who not only embodies the values of the program, but also a player who's playing for more than just the game of football. He plays for the family who raised him in Orlando. He plays for the coaches who believed in him. And he plays for his grandmother Joan, who is with him every time he steps on the field.
