University of Arizona Athletics

Charlie Dickey has helped the University of Arizona build a reputation in the past decade as fertile ground for professional scouts to annually check for productive offensive linemen. Whether drafted or signed as free agents, 11 Arizona linemen have moved on to NFL active rosters since the 1990 season. That's an average of one per year and outstanding testimony to Dickey's coaching ability.

Among Dickey's recent UA players was Super Bowl starting left guard Edwin Mulitalo of the Baltimore Ravens. Dickey also has sent Yusuf Scott (Arizona), Frank Middleton (Tampa Bay) and Jose Portilla (Atlanta), among others, into the professional ranks in recent drafts, or in Portilla's case, via free agency.

But Dickey's value has come in lean times as well. In the 2000 season when injuries essentially took three starters out of action for the year, Dickey came through with a patched-up unit that provides the program with a foundation for growth in 2001 under new management.

Dickey was hired by John Mackovic to remain as offensive line coach after the December 2000 resignation of Dick Tomey. It was a popular decision among Arizona faithful, but more importantly, it was a decision based on the new head coach's assessment of Dickey's skill.

Arizona's offensive production dropped off in 2000, and Mackovic has stated that improvement is of prime importance among his program's immediate goals. Dickey should be able to help produce, at least along the front.

UA had total offensive production of more than 15,000 yards from 1997-99, and while it came with plenty of help from some superlative skill position players, Dickey's units in the trenches were a steady and commendable part of the success.

Dickey has put together successful groups of varying kinds, too - whether senior-laden or dotted with sophomores or redshirt freshmen. Basically, he's been adept at developing Pac-10 offensive linemen.

Dickey, 38, brings something besides coaching to the Arizona program. He's a former Wildcat player. Whenever players or coaches have needed a bit of red-and-blue perspective, Dickey has proven eager to invoke memories about specific rivals or the bigger view of Arizona football. A standout offensive guard at Arizona in 1983-84, Dickey knows the program and completes a full decade on the staff this year.

He was offensive line coach at Northern Arizona for the 1991 and 1990 seasons before returning to his alma mater. Dickey will work with the line from tackle to tackle and collaborates with tight ends coach Jay Boulware for the full-line perspective. UA's multiple-pro passing offense, under the direction of Mackovic and offensive coordinator Rick Dykes, should keep Arizona's line in a tight learning curve throughout the next two seasons.

Dickey was an all-state offensive lineman at Scottsdale, Ariz., Saguaro High School and an all-conference guard at Scottsdale Community College. He transferred to Arizona for the 1983 season and started two seasons at offensive guard, earning second-team All-Pac-10 honors in 1984 and voted the team's offensive Most Valuable Player.

Dickey was one of Arizona's most durable and tough linemen in the early '80s. He played all 840 offensive plays in 1983 and had a streak of 1,230 consecutive offensive plays over two seasons. He played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League in 1987.

He served as a graduate assistant under Dick Tomey at Arizona in 1988 and was an assistant coach at Scottsdale Community College under coach Shane Bates in 1989. Dickey coached under Northern Arizona head coach Steve Axman during 1990-91.

Dickey earned a B.S. degree in business administration from Arizona. He is married to the former Lisa Bradshaw, a women's basketball player at Arizona in 1983-85, and they have three daughters, Jazmin (9-19-87), Tasha (3-10-89), Shyanne (11-14-97), and a son, Charles J. (5-4-99). Their fifth child, daughter Chanel, passed away June 6, 1998, at the age of 3.

The Dickey File