Dixon’s Landon Knigge, nearing return from knee injury, leads team with big hopes off quarterfinal appearance

Landon Knigge has spent much of his summer watching, waiting and working on the side.

And it’s killing him.

“He’s itching to get back,” Dixon football coach Jared Shaner said. “But July 15 does not count for our record this fall. We need him to be healthy and 100% ready to go.”

Knigge, a 1,000-yard rusher and starting safety as a junior for Dixon’s Class 4A quarterfinal team last fall, tore the meniscus in his knee May 26.

He got in for surgery June 4.

“I was power cleaning a PR [personal record], 235 pounds, and when I dropped down into a squat it happened,” Knigge said. “I heard a pop, came back up, there it was.”

Knigge, therefore, was on the sidelines during a 7-on-7 July 15 at Kaneland. But the days are coming when Knigge will be back full bore for a Dixon team coming off a 10-2 season.

He expects to be back in action for the start of fall practice the second Monday in August after the IHSA’s “dead week” of no football work.

“Just working on cutting drills because I’m a running back – strengthening it, icing it, doing the RICE method [rest, ice, compression and elevation]," Knigge said. “It was like a six-week deal, and then I’ll be back. I want to be back right now, but my coaches are like, ‘No.’ Just doing field work, a lot of agility, lightweight squats, split squats.”

Knigge has not been an active participant in Dixon’s summer work, but he’s been far from isolated from the rest of the team.

“The great thing about LJ is he’s at every practice, getting mental reps even if he can’t get physical reps,” Shaner said. “It’s not like it’s a huge deal at these 7-on-7s anyway, at least offensively. Your running back stands next to your quarterback for a lot of plays.

“Certainly wish he was in there but also need to see the bigger picture.”

The big picture is Knigge should have a big season in store.

An All-Big Northern Conference first-team selection as a junior, Knigge rushed for 1,268 yards and 18 touchdowns on 134 carries in 10 games played after missing Dixon’s first two.

He rushed for 335 yards and four TDs in a game against Rockford Lutheran, which Dixon opens against this season.

“He is a difference-maker,” Shaner said. “He had almost 1,500 yards, some really good games. He’s just a tough kid. He has great vision and balance and just runs hard. Hopefully he picks up where he left off.”

Shaner is optimistic the Dukes can pick up where they left off.

All-staters Eli Davidson and Cullen Shaner are among those who have graduated.

But the Dukes will return eight of 11 starters on defense and most of their lines on both sides.

The recent standards for excellence have not left town, either.

Dixon has made 10 consecutive playoff appearances since joining the Big Northern Conference in 2014, the past four under Shaner. That’s double the amount of times the Dukes had reached the postseason in the entirety of the program’s history pre-2014.

“Good programs make the quarterfinals and semis and state championship and have good seniors, but then they go back and do it again the next year. I hope that’s where we are with our football program,” Shaner said. “We have graduated good seniors the last two to three years, but we have good seniors who have been patient, worked and waited and then when they get their turn they are the names we’re talking about.”

Knigge said this group still has work to do to realize the success of recent teams, but likes the potential in place.

“I had a couple good games last year, but that came with a good team, too,” he said. “This team is going to be good, we got a new quarterback, he’s looking good now.”

Dixon will look a little different without a Shaner at quarterback, but coach Shaner is high on junior quarterback Jagger Kemp. He’ll have his starting center and two starting guards back in front of him.

Dylan Bopes returns with two years of experience up front, and Bene Baratta is back after playing defensive end last year.

“I think [the line] will be our calling card early,” Shaner said.

Dixon opens the season Aug. 29 at Rockford Lutheran before the big one Week 2 at Byron.

“I think we need bigger chemistry to be honest, but other than that we’re pretty solid,” Knigge said. “We’re athletic, dominant. I think we’ll be good.”