The Dixie State College football team’s All-American player is injured and out for the 2012 season.
Senior tight end Joe Don Duncan is taking a medical redshirt this season for a knee injury. But, Duncan recieved a name for himself while he was out on the field this time last year.
This playmaker has received First Team All-American, Tight End of the Year for Division II, New Comer of the Year for Great National Athletic Conference, and first team all conference for the GNAC. He was the first tight end ever to score more than 3000 points in the point system. He also received preseason All-American in four or five polls this year.
“It was good to get recognized after that season,” Duncan said. “It’s nice to get recognized for all your hard work and efforts.”
The Red Storm went 1-10 last season, and Duncan said he would have traded the All-American season for even one more win for Dixie to go 2-9.
“It’s more a team game to me,” Duncan said. “It’s more important to win games for the team, for this community and for this college.”
And Duncan worked hard so his efforts didn’t go unnoticed
“Last May, a Jets scout came out,” Duncan said. “When you’re a junior the NFL comes out and gets your basic info, your height-weight, measurements and where you’ve been. That put me in the system for a bunch of teams, and they stop by and check in as the season goes on.”
But will Duncan’s knee injury hold him back from training for the big time?
Duncan said when he had an MRI it turned out he had a couple of loose calcium deposits.
But with the deposits, there was cartilage that was falling off his femur, which the doctors ended up removing with scope surgery. It will eventually be replaced so his knee stops locking up.
“I am going into the season just like I have been mentally,” Duncan said. “I will kind of help the coaches out and see what they see. So when I come back next year the mental side should be easier than the physical side.”
He will be returning next year for another season.
“We miss him a lot out here,” said junor reciever Andre Aron, an art major from Inglewood, Calif. “Things would be a whole lot easier if we had him. But we are just doing everything for him right now.”
Duncan said while growing up his mom wouldn’t let him play football. He said his mother had a friend in high school who was paralyzed from playing football, which resulted in her fear of the same thing happening to her son.
“She wouldn’t let us play football until we had a proper weight program we had to go through,” Duncan said. “Growing up I just played baseball and the rec soccer that everybody does.”
Because of having to wait for a proper weight program, Duncan started football his freshman year in high school. From there he came to love the game.
But Duncan has a lot more things he likes to do besides play football.
“I work for intramurals,” Duncan said. “And I like writing raps with my brother Jake. I also like watching a lot of TV and listening to music.”
Duncan said he plays football and in his free time he relaxes and hangs out with his buddies. He said throughout his football career his family and friends have inspired him to get him to where he is now.
“I feel like everything happens for a reason,” Duncan said. “I’ve always had a blue collar work ethic. I come to work and give it 110 percent and whatever happens, happens.”
This All-American says he misses football and can’t wait to get back on the field.
