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By Steve Carpenter
HCC Sports Information Director
Saturday, August 9, 2008
With the rain falling on the
FieldTurf at Gowans Stadium Saturday morning, the Hutchinson Community
College football team started the countdown until the 2008 kickoff with the
opening day of practice.
“It’s the coolest first day
of practice that I have ever been a part of,” HCC head coach Rion Rhoades
said. “It’s a great thing that it was so cool for us. Everybody stayed in
the action a lot better.”
“It’s good (that it’s cool),
but football is football, no matter the weather. It’s nice to get back out
here,” added sophomore safety Jasper Simmons.
Jayhawk Conference teams can
open fall camp 21 days before their first game. HCC opens the 2008 season on
Aug. 30 at Gowans Stadium against Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in a 7 p.m.
kickoff.
The Blue Dragons have 11
starters and 21 lettermen back from a 2007 team that finished tied for fifth
in the Jayhawk Conference, but closed strong by pushing No. 1 Butler to the
final play of the game and then defeating Independence 13-9 in the season
finale.
Of the starters returning,
five are on offense and six are on defense. Of the five offensive starters,
three are on the offensive line. Of the defensive starters, three come in
the secondary to form the most experienced defensive backfield that’s
returned since the 1999 Valley of the Sun Bowl team.
“We have some returners on
defense,” Simmons said. “We have a lot of experience in the secondary and on
the D-line. We can be pretty good.”
When Rhoades took over the
Blue Dragon program last season, he hardly had returning experience to
depend. Just one practice into the 2008 season, Rhoades has already noticed
a difference in the quality of play on Day 1.
“It helps a tremendous
amount,” Rhoades said. “Not only do those guys know what to do, but they are
able to help the new guys learn.”
With that, the HCC coaching
staff – which stayed completely intact from last season – can begin the
evaluation process earlier this season. The final 55-man roster will be
announced something in the week leading up to the NEO game.
“We are looking for guys who
are competitors and guys who will get in there a battle,” Rhoades said. “We
are evaluating how fast guys can pick things up.”
As far as the first practice
went, Rhoades was generally pleased with what he saw.
“It went good,” Rhoades
said. “There was some positive things and once we look at the film, we will
find some things that weren’t so good. But I really like our team. I like
the type of character they have. They are very coachable and they seem to
want to work hard.”
Some areas that the HCC
coaching staff will be looking at heavily will be at receiver and at
linebacker, to positions where the Dragons have no starters returning and
have very little collegiate experience to fall back on. Also, competition
for the starting quarterback and running back spots will be hotly contested.
“It was pretty good,”
Simmons said. “I’ve seen some people that we can use. I think we can have a
nice season.”
The Blue Dragons will not
have a home scrimmage this season, but fans can meet the team before the
season begins on Sunday, Aug. 24 during Fan Appreciation day at Gowans
Stadium. Players will be available for autographs and photos and for fans to
talk to. Also, Blue Dragon gear will be on sale.
FIRST PRACTICE PHOTO GALLERY |
