DeBord rounds out football coaching staff
Chris McCarty
Mike Bajakian, Tor Dixon and former Chippewas wide receiver Joe Danna are the three new coaches for the Maroon and Gold.
“You always try to get a guy that has played the position he’s coaching,” DeBord said.
“All three of these guys have done that so it should help our players.”
Bajakian will take over for Scott Loeffler at quarterbacks’ coach. Loeffler left earlier this month to take the same position at Michigan.
Bajakian last coached at Michigan, where he was a graduate assistant and helped out with the quarterbacks.
“When you start a program, you have to lay down a foundation in terminology,” DeBord said.
“It was important to get a guy that would know our terminology, otherwise it starts a whole new learning process to the players.”
Bajakian and the other offensive coaches will have the fortunate dilemma of a quarterback controversy starting in spring drills.
Quarterbacks Derrick Vickers and Derek Gorney both had playing time and success last year and junior Grant Arnoldink also is pushing for the job.
“He’ll have much input on that (the quarterbacks) as Scott (Loeffler) would have. I’ll look at that and so will offensive coordinator Butch Jones,” DeBord said.
“That’s the great thing about spring drills, you can see guys play and not have to rush into any decisions.”
Danna comes back to Mount Pleasant where he was a receiver and a student assistant in 1999 from the University of Georgia.
At Georgia, Danna worked with the Bulldogs secondary under former CMU secondary coach and UG defensive coordinator Willie Martinez.
“He (Martinez) called me about him (Danna). I know Joe (Danna) from my first year here,” DeBord said .
“He played the position (receiver) when he was here and with him having worked with the secondary I think that will really help our guys understand coverages.”
Danna replaces former receivers’ coach Jason Carr, who left the Chippewas for family reasons.
Carr, the son of U of M head coach Lloyd Carr, was a former quarterback, so the switch to Danna will be a change for the receivers.
“Both guys are familiar with the position, one having played it and the other having thrown to it, but where Joe (Danna) will really help is his knowledge of secondaries since having worked with them,” DeBord said.
Dixon makes his way to the Chippewas visa vie Indiana Sate.
At ISU, Dixon coached the secondary. Dixon takes over the CMU defensive backfield for the departed Curt Mallory. Mallory left to CMU to coach for the Indiana Hoosiers football team.
Dixon, a Vanderbilt graduate, played three years and earned one letter in the secondary for the Commodores.
Dixon is one of the few coaches on DeBord’s staff who does not have ties to either Michigan or Central Michigan football.
“He knows a lot of the same coaches that I do so I found him through those resources,” DeBord said.
“During the interview process I found out what great amount of knowledge in coaching and football.”
Dixon takes over a portion of the CMU defense that was hit particularly bad by graduation.
CMU lost starting cornerbacks Rico Epps, Tedaro France and former standout Wayne Dudley.
“I think he (Dixon) welcomes the challenge. He’s going to put his mark on the players. When you’re a new coach sometimes it helps to have new players rather then seniors which are going to but heads with you,” DeBord said.
