Having an interest of pursuing an education at a small college and playing football with an old high school friend and teammate Keith Goodwin, this 2010 Maryville College Wall of Fame inductee Ken Dickens came to Maryville College in 1975.

As a sophomore he immediately got into football workouts and practices where he played as a strong safety.  However, as most young players with experience and skills, Dickens did not have to wait long to make an impact on the Scots football program.

During his sophomore season his speed and field vision gave him the chance to start at strong safety for the football Scots, which turned out to be a season that he would never forget.  Although it ended up being an 0-9 season Dickens and his team couldn’t help but to look at the situation in an optimistic manner.  Dickens stated, “Our team learned a great deal about commitment and perseverance…few teams have worked harder or sacrificed more with so little success.”  Dickens still applauds the hard work and diligence of the two coaches that led him during that season, Jim Jordan and Dick Taylor.  Two coaches that no matter what the score board said never blamed officials or pointed fingers at a certain player; they just worked harder the next day.  During the final two games of the season, the coaches were up for experimenting different players at different positions, in Dickens’ case that meant adding the wide out position to his arsenal.  The coach’s risk turned out to become Dickens’ reward as he hauled in 11 catches for 129 yards during the last game of the season against Emory and Henry.  Maryville lost 21-7.

During Dickens’ junior season he was fortunate enough to experience one of the most successful seasons in the history of the school.  The players started the season not quite sure what to expect following a 0-9 season, however with new players in new positions and shaved heads on most of the team the Scots took the field for the 1976 season. 

With a great first half, Dickens’ Scots were ahead in their season opener against Knoxville College 14-0.  But with a comeback performance by Knoxville the Scots were stopped just short on a final two point conversion which lost them the game by a score of 21-20.  However, with a new sense of confidence and pep in the step of the entire team the 1976 squad went on to win 7 of the last 8 games of the season, including wins over top 10 opponents Hampden-Sydney and Millsaps.  Dickens can still reminisce of the spectacular plays and players that took part that season.  With long runs from Alvin Nance to catches and punt returns by his high school teammate Keith Goodwin.  His biggest memory of his own personal career was catching a two point conversion against Hampton Sydney to go up 11-10.  Dickens still has his name in the All-time record books for the school with the record of yards per catch on a season. The fleet footed receiver averaged 23 yards every time he hauled in a pass during the ’76 campaign.  The Scots ended the season on a five game winning streak, which made high expectations for the ’77 season. 

 The senior season for Dickens started off in the right fashion by tallying a hard fought 21-16 win over rival Emory and Henry in the season opener.  After that game the team truly began to mesh together as one unit where they won the next five games in a row by a combined score of 163-3 including four shutouts.  His senior season to go along with playing wide out Dickens also took control of the kickoff return game.  Due to his quickness and vision of the field Dickens ended up ranked in the top 5 nationally for kickoff return yardage.  The season opened with the Scots winning their first 6 games but unfortunately losing the last two. 

Although the season did not end as planned, the seniors of the team could not help but realize how far the team had come during their four year career.  A team that began 0-9 worked together and would claim 13 victories over the next two seasons. That is truly a feat that Ken Dickens and the rest of his teammates will never forget. 

“Ken was one of the best athletes on the team”, stated MC kicker and 1991 Wall of Fame Inductee Tim Kelly. “He was well respected as a leader by the players and coaches alike. Ken was more than just an outstanding football players, he was a great teammate, an excellent student, and most of all a genuinely good guy.”

Dickens graduated in 1977 from Maryville with a MS in mathematics where he then accepted a teaching assistant job in the Math Department of University of Tennessee.  He claims Dr Nichols was responsible for solidifying the job for him, where Dickens then received a MS in math from the University of Tennessee in 1979.  Today, Dickens works as a sales executive with Fidelity Information Services.

Ken fondly remembers and is grateful for his time at Maryville College and remembers all the good times that he shared with friends and teammates.

Ladies and gentlemen, In the 117 years of Maryville College Football, I present to you the 99th Football inductee into the Maryville College Wall of Fame, Mr. Ken Dickens.