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By Steve Carpenter
HCC Sports Information Director
Friday, August 29, 2008
The foundation has been put
down for the Hutchinson Community College football team for the 2008 season.
While the Blue Dragons were
only 2-7 last season in head coach Rion Rhoades’ first year at the helm, he
managed to re-establish a solid team work ethic, made major advancements in
the weight room and led the team to its first victory since the seventh game
of the 2005 season (a school-record 13-straight losses).
Now with a good nucleus of
players returning players, the most since the 2001 season, Rhoades hopes
that all translates into success on the field in 2008.
“We are definitely still in
the building phase,” Rhoades said, “but we are very excited to see what we
can accomplish this season. We continue to work hard to get our program
headed in the right direction.”
As fall camp started, the
Blue Dragons had 11 starters and 21 lettermen back from Rhoades’ first Blue
Dragon team. Of the returning starters, five are on offense and six on
defense. Of the five offensive starters, three are on the offensive line. Of
the defensive starters, three return to form the most experienced secondary
that the Blue Dragons have brought back since their 1999 Valley of the Sun
Bowl season.
Hutchinson’s defense was
greatly improved in Rhoades’ first season. After allowing a staggering 36
points and 418 yards to opposing teams in 2006, the 2007 Blue Dragon
defensive unit allowed 22.4 points and 299 yards per game.
Gone from that defense are
the unit’s top three tacklers, including all-Jayhawk Conference linebacker
Antwon Canady (now at Louisville). Also moving on are all-conference
defensive linemen Brandon Kush and Tim Erwin.
The 2007 Blue Dragon offense
struggled with inexperience, inconsistency and ultimately injuries. In fact,
HCC had no out-of-state receivers suited up in its final game, a 13-9
victory at Independence.
Last year’s Blue Dragon
offense averaged 13.8 points per game, 138.7 yards passing, 80.2 yards
rushing and 218.9 yards of total offense.
With the nucleus of
returning players, Rhoades is adding what he thinks is an excellent
recruiting class, especially in-state. The Blue Dragons have a record 10
players participating in the 2008 Shrine Bowl.
The Blue Dragons were picked
fifth in the 2008 Jayhawk Conference preseason coaches poll.
“I think our offensive and
defensive lines should be improved,” Rhoades said. “We have a lot of
uncertainty with our skilled positions. We will have a lot of new faces in
our linebacking corps, but we have two proven players in the defensive
secondary.
“This could be an exciting
year.”
OFFENSIVE BREAKDOWN
Quarterback
– An injury to returning quarterback Skylar Travis left this position in a
state of flux, but out-of-state quarterback Terry McKinnon (6-1, 185) and
sophomore Bryant Johnson (6-0, 200) have taken over the signal-calling spot.
In Travis, HCC loses
valuable experience behind center. Travis nearly completed a comeback
against No. 1 Butler in an eight-point loss, and then guided HCC to a 13-9
victory over Independence one week later. In six games in 2007, Travis
completed 18 of 47 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns. He was also
the team’s second-leading rusher with 224 yards and a 5.1 yard-per-carry
average.
Running back
– The Dragons will be new at running back with a pair of out-of-staters
carrying the load.
Missouri Western transfer
La’Darrian Page (5-8, 160) ran for 1,254 yards and 14 touchdowns as a
freshman in the tough MIAA.
Freshman Chris Clay (5-9,
170) is the third-leading rusher in Georgia high school history all time
with 7,695 yards and 89 touchdowns.
Rhoades hopes with freshman
additions Trezz Tillman (5-7, 158, Wichita Southeast) and Jacob Wilson (5-9,
164, Pittsburg), the running back spot will be much deeper in 2008.
Fullback
– Adam Specht (5-10, 198, Overland Park-Shawnee Mission South) started
several games as a freshman. Although he had only two carries for six yards
and one reception for seven yards, Specht gained valuable experience and
proved himself a good blocker. In the spring, Specht has gotten bigger and
stronger and Rhoades said he’s the guy to beat as fall camp starts.
As far as freshman
fullbacks, Hutch High freshman T.J. Duarte (5-11, 210) and Clayton Hubbell
(5-11, 205, Dodge City) is in line to see some playing time.
Offensive line
– Of any group from the 2007 team to receive the most scrutiny, it was the
offensive line. Jacob Miller 6-3, 282 (Madison, Kan.) starts the season
injured. Sophomore Eric Mateos (6-2, 285, Overland Park-Shawnee Mission
South) returns.
The addition of Northwest
Mississippi transfer Jamar Bass (6-4, 291, Apopka, Fla.) will give the
Dragon offensive line a solid base to build upon.
Bass helped Northwest
Mississippi average 200 yards per game rushing in 2007.
“We will rise and fall with
the play of the offensive line,” Rhoades said. “We are excited to have three
guys back who started games for us last year. When you add Bass to the
equation, you feel like you are a little stronger. We feel like we ought to
be better than we were at that position.”
The offensive line’s depth
will be as good entering fall camp as it has been in several years. Incoming
freshmen William Thacker (6-1, 258, Hutchinson High), Chase Hartman (5-10,
250, Hutchinson High) and Calin Archer (6-1, 271, Andale, Kan.) all played
on multiple state championship football teams. Mike Powell (6-3, 281, La
Crosse, Kan.) was one of the most-sought in-state offensive linemen. Central
Missouri State transfer Jacob McKenzie (6-4, 315, Eureka, Kan.) will also
battle for playing time.
Tight end
– Galen Haaga (6-3, 230, Douglass, Kan.) is the returning sophomores. He
was a blocking tight end in 2007.
Enter freshmen Dustin
Weissbeck (6-4, 208, Topeka-Hayden) and Wichita Heights product Devon
Byfield (6-3, 240) to give the Dragon coaches some options as a receiving
tight end.
HCC had great depth at tight
end, but was forced to move Johnson back to quarterback with the injury to
Travis.
Receiver
– This is probably the biggest question mark for the Blue Dragon offense
entering the 2008 season. Only Josh Goffigan (6-0, 200, Manhattan) has
played collegiately. He caught six passes for 52 yards in a reserve roll for
HCC last season.
The Blue Dragons will get
redshirt freshman Brent Cooprider (5-9, 180, Hutchinson High) back from a
season-ending injury that occurred in last year’s fall camp. HCC will also
count on explosive receiver Gage McKinnis (5-8, 174), who helped Hutchinson
High win a fourth-straight state championship in 2007.
“There’s lots of uncertainty
with who our guys are going to be,” Rhoades said. “Cooprider is a guy we can
build things around. Goffigan will be better and we feel like Gage McKinnis
is a guy who can do good things with the ball in his hands.”
DEFENSIVE BREAKDOWN
Defensive tackle
– HCC’s interior defensive line has a pair of starters coming back in Eugene
Kinlaw (6-2, 294, Homerville, Ga.) and Zach Carey (6-0, 266, Augusta). Carey
starts the season injured.
Kinlaw had 23 total tackles,
including 5.5 tackles for loss and two quarterback sacks. He also had four
quarterback hurries and one forced fumble. Carey had 16 tackles with four
for loss and 0.5 quarterback sacks.
“We have a good nucleus with
returning players Eugene Kinlaw and Zach Carey,” Rhoades said. “Those two
guys had good springs and did a good job last year. They continue to get
better and should have a good season this season. Both are good players.”
Rhoades is also excited
about freshman Gavin Loehr (6-2, 240, Kapaun-Mt. Carmel) and Darryl Zellars
(6-3, 275, Anderson, S.C.).
Defensive end
– The 2008 HCC defensive ends possess both speed and power. Tyran Melvin
(6-2, 230, Conway, S.C.) had 12 tackles, including two for loss with three
quarterback hurries and a pass breakup last season. Fort Scott transfer
Thatcher Starling (6-4, 261, Wellsville, Kan.) could give the Blue Dragons a
solid pair of ends.
“We think we are in pretty
good shape with Tyran and Thatcher,” Rhoades said. “Tyran’s 20 pounds
heavier and much stronger and he’s a very fast individual. Thatcher is a
physical big-bodied end on the other side. We think those guys can control
the edge with some success.”
Freshman Morgan Abel (6-1,
225, Eudora, Kan.), Kevin Jerrick (6-1, 243, Belle Plaine, Kan.) and should
also battle for playing time. Also, freshman Adam Davis (6-1, 242, Folkston,
Ga.) figures into the plans.
Linebacker
– The Dragons have no returning starters at linebacker, but a pair of
redshirt freshmen and a transfer gives the Blue Dragons a base to build
upon.
The HCC coaching staff is
looking forward to the return of Jacob Lattimer (6-3, 239, Fort Scott,
Kan.), who missed the entire 2007 season with an injury. Transfer Michael
Brakenhoff (6-3, 220, Alta Vista, Kan.) comes into camp this season in the
coaches plans..
Also back is Jamin Raigoza
(5-10, 222, Hutchinson High), who had 13 tackles, two tackles for loss and
one quarterback sack last season.
Secondary
– Rhoades is very high on his defensive backfield with three starters
returning from a group that really caught its stride in the second half of
the season.
Safety Jasper Simmons (6-1,
210, Pensacola, Fla.) could be one of the best defensive backs in the league
this season. Simmons was the Blue Dragons’ fourth-leading tackler in 2007
with 62 total tackles, 41 of those were solos, five passes broken up and one
interception.
He even had to play receiver
in the final game last season at Independence, catching the eventual
game-winning touchdown with 1:37 remaining in the game.
“Jasper Simmons is going to
be one of the top players in the conference,” Rhoades said. “He’s an
explosive athlete who caught his stride late last year. He’s the quarterback
of our defense and we look for leadership from him.”
Cornerback Josh Heimerman
(5-10, 170, Andale, Kan.) returns from an injury-plagued freshman season,
where he had seven tackles and two passes broken up. Rhoades is also
counting on several incoming freshmen to add depth to an already strong
unit.
At corner, Kendall Davis
(5-8, 150, Wichita Heights) is in the rotation. At safety, Matthew Pearson
(6-3, 175, Wichita Heights), Jacob Yoder (5-10, 195, Peabody, Kan.), Sam
Norris and 5-11, 178, Humboldt, Kan.) bid for playing time.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker
- Freshman Kelly Roberts (6-1, 202, Hutchinson High), who had a career- and
school-record 54-yard field goal in high school, won the job.
One of the reasons is his
depth of kickoffs. Roberts has a strong leg and was consistently getting
kickoffs deep.
Punter
- Clinton Stein (5-11, 197, Spearville) probably would have been the punter
last season, but an injury prevented him from competing for the job in fall
camp.
Last season, HCC’s punters
averaged 36.2 yards per punt, but only a 31.4 yard net average. |
