Dickens was hired as the head football coach at Indiana in 1957 after his success at Wofford College and Wyoming.
Knowing that the Hoosiers were at a recruiting disadvantage, Dickens blatantly disregarded the rules, with reports of 17 violations by the Indiana football program in his first three months.
Reports stated that the school offered, "$50 per month, or expense-paid travel between the prospects hometown and Bloomington."
Although no offenses were consummated, Indiana chose to forbid Dickens from performing any coaching related activities during the 1957 football season.
[3] On December 22, 1964, Dickens resigned as Indiana's head football coach and was given a new position as the university's general manager of off-campus physical facilities.