JACKSON — Left at the altar in 2007, Mississippi State running back Anthony Dixon took home the Cellular South Conerly Trophy this time Monday night at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.

Dixon’s big 133-yard rushing performance against Ole Miss in Saturday’s 41-27 Egg Bowl triumph was probably the difference for the Terry native as he edged out the Rebels’ all-purpose wonder Dexter McCluster for the annual award given to Mississippi’s top collegiate football player. Mississippi College quarterback Adam Shaffer rounded out the three finalists. Seven other nominees from each of the state’s football programs were invited, including 2007 winner Damion Fletcher of Southern Miss.

Conerly winners

2009 – Anthony Dixon, RB, Mississippi State

2008 – Juan Joseph, QB, Millsaps

2007 – Damion Fletcher, RB, Southern Miss

2006 – Patrick Willis, LB, Ole Miss

2005 – Jerious Norwood, RB, Mississippi State

2004 – Michael Boley, LB, Southern Miss

2003 – Eli Manning, QB, Ole Miss

2002 – Rod Davis, LB, Southern Miss

2001 – Eli Manning, QB, Ole Miss

2000 – Josh Bright, QB, Delta State

1999 – Deuce McAllister, RB, Ole Miss

1998 – J.J. Johnson, RB, Mississippi State

1997 – Stewart Patridge, QB, Ole Miss

1996 – Tregnel Thomas, RB, Delta State

“I feel nothing but joy,” Dixon said while holding the 38-pound trophy. “My brother Rashun has a baseball player of the year award, and now I get to keep up with him. This here is a lot of blood, sweat and tears. It feels good.”

First-year Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen said Dixon, currently the leading rusher in the Southeastern Conference with 1,391 yards, was deserving of the award.

“We hit it off from our first meeting. He’s a guy that set the school all-purpose yardage record at 4,443 yards, the career rushing mark at 3,993 yards, and he’s seventh in SEC history in rushing, seventh with 42 rushing touchdowns and the single season record for our school with 1,391 yards on 237 carries, and he leads the Southeastern Conference,” Mullen said in rattling off Dixon’s numbers.

But it is more than numbers with Dixon, Mullen said.

“What makes him special is every single day, he came ready to practice. How hard he practiced. His big smile, brings everyone up. He makes everyone feel special. He has a bright future in football and in life. A great person. That’s Anthony Dixon,” Mullen said.

McCluster wasn’t too disappointed about being the runner-up.

“He’s a big, physical back and a great athlete,” McCluster said of his Dixon.

McCluster came in as the Rebels’ leading rusher with 985 yards and also has 475 receiving. The Rebels are 8-4 and are awaiting their bowl destination later this week.

“Dexter needs just 15 yards rushing and 25 receiving in our bowl game to become the first player in school history with 1,000 yards rushing and 500 receiving. He is an electrifying player,” Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt said.

“I love talking about him. All 5-foot-7, he says 5-8, and 168 pounds. His heart is bigger than Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. He does it the right way. I love to hear our freshmen talk about Dexter McCluster,” Nutt added.

Shaffer led Mississippi College to the second round of the Division III playoffs and the American Southwest Conference title. He completed 236 of 362 passes for 3,105 yards and 33 touchdowns and just eight interceptions.

Choctaws’ coach Norman Joseph, a Vicksburg native, was elated he made the top three.

“I was thrilled for him. What a way to cap off his career,” Joseph said.

“It’s just great to be considered with these great players,” Shaffer said. “To come back from two serious knee injuries and then to have a great senior season by winning our conference championship made it a great final season.”

The other nominees were Fletcher, who is currently the NCAA active career rushing leader with over 5,000 yards, along with Alcorn State quarterback Tim Buckley; Belhaven wide receiver Cordario Calvin; Delta State wide receiver Trevar Deed; Jackson State defensive back Malcolm Palmer; Millsaps quarterback Chris Graves; and Mississippi Valley State defensive lineman Jared Green.

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Contact Jeff Byrd at jbyrd@vicksburgpost.com