Bio
Coach Frost-Dixon entering his fifth season coaching Bryant’s Linebackers. He kicked off his fruitful tenure in 2022 by producing two of the best linebackers in program history in Joe Andreessen and Ryan Saddler. Andreessen would go on to earn Phil Steele, AP & FCS All-American recognition while finishing 9th in the Buck Buchanan Award. The two-time DPOW and All New England Award recipient posted a conference leading 18.5 TFLs. Andreessen led the conference with 116 total tackles, which set the program record for single-season tackles. Saddler also shined, finishing 4th in conference with a career-high 96.0 tackles, 8th in Big South Conference with 4.5 sacks, 7th in conference with 11.5 TFLs and 5th in conference with 3 INTs. The duo both earned All-Big South honors as well as finishing top 10 in conference for tackles by all positions. Saddler and Andreessen would both go on to play professionally. Saddler signed with CFL organization Ottawa Redblacks and Andreessen with Buffalo Bills.
Over the following two seasons, the Bryant linebacker position remained productive. Seniors and first year starters Dontae Lunan and Austin Edmonds provide a solid sense of consistency in the middle of the Bulldog defense entering a new conference. Lunan led the team in tackles as well as ranked 9th in the country with 2 blocked punts. True freshman, Cole Nilles, an Air Force Prep transfer, emerged as one of the defense’s anchoring pieces. A Rookie of the Week recipient and Jerry Rice Award nominee, which recognizes the nation’s top freshman performer, tallied over 50 Tackles, 5 TFLs, 3 QB hurries in just 6 games and a career high 13 tkls against UAlbany. Nilles also finished the season being selected to the Phil Steele Freshman All-American team. Lonnie Rice, a transfer linebacker from Western Kentucky, contributed to the Bryant defense as well. Tallying 56 tackles, 3 TFLs 2 QB Hurries and 1 forced fumble.
Frost Dixon’s fourth season included major contributions from senior, Lonnie Rice, who tallied 92 TOT which is 9th in conference, 4.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks. Rice recorded 4 games with 10+ tackles. This performance gained Rice All-Conference Honors while also being voted as the team’s Defensive Player of the Year. Beside him stood Brandon Perkins, a Graduate Transfer from the University of New Hampshire. Perkins recorded 85 TOT in 9 games which ranked him 7th in the conference for all positions. Named Stats Perform National DPOW for his season high 14-tackle performance against FBS UMass, Perkins recorded 4 games with 10+ tackles and was named CAA DPOW. Perkins was also named to the CAA All Conference team in 2025.
Dixon is married to Jaclyn Frost-Dixon and has a son Zion and daughter SelahRose Frost-Dixon.
