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Alford latest in line of 1,000-yard rushers
Over the last seven seasons at Fort Scott Community College, Greyhound head football coach Curtis Horton has proved that he can produce an offense that can run the ball and recruit running backs that excel in his "smash-mouth" style of football. This year has proved no different with Jo-Nathan Alford becoming the sixth 'Hound ball carrier to run for over 1,000 yards in Horton's seven seasons.
Alford, a 6' 0", 210-pound true freshman out from Brunswick, Ga., goes at defenses with a bruising style of running but also possesses a sneaky breakaway speed that has produced four scores of 30 yards or more. Alford scored twice against Hutchinson Saturday on runs of 68 and 63 yards.
The Glynn Academy graduate proved that he was going to be the premier running back in the Greyhound ground attack when he rushed for 79 yards in the season opener against Highland and then got his first collegiate 100-yard game, rushing for 133 yards, against Tyler (Texas) in Week 2.
"JoNathan is the type of runner that has become the prototype runner at FSCC," Horton said. "He is a strong downhill runner that pounds and pounds defenses, while becoming stronger late in the game. Alford is a very hard worker and we are extremely happy for his success and to call him a 'Hound."
Playing in just seven of the Greyhounds' eight games this season -- Alford had to sit out one game due to a suspension imposed by the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference following the Butler game in Week Three -- he is leading the KJCCC in rushing yards (1,105) and rushing attempts (234). He ranks second and first respectively in the NJCAA in those categories.
Alford has rushed for over 200 yards twice this season -- 237 in Week Five at Dodge City and 228 last week at Hutchinson. He also rushed for 189 yards at home in a victory against Independence in Week Seven.
The talented running back's efforts have not only helped him individually but also helped lead the Greyhound offense to putting up tremendous numbers despite having a 1-7 record.
Fort Scott leads the KJCCC in total offense (averaging 420 yards per game) and rushing offense (199.6 yards).
First-year offensive coordinator Moses Harper has used Alford to open up the passing game featuring quarterback Jason Stewart and receivers Jared Dangerfield and Chevelle Buie.
"JoNathan has made defenses keep several people at the line of scrimmage (in the box) which opens up the outsides for our passing attack," Harper said. "He is a key member to our offense and is a workhorse for us."
The "A-Train," as his coaches and teammates refer to him, is on pace to exceed the first-year outputs of former Greyhound running backs Jasmin Hopkins and Stanley Hagan. Hopkins rushed for 1,161 on 302 carries in 10 games in 2008 while Hagan gained 1,232 yards on 271 totes last season.
Hopkins went on to help lead the 2009 Greyhounds to a national runner-up finish and was NJCAA Offensive Player of the Year. He later played at Northern Illinois University. Hopkins finished his career second on the Greyhound's all-time rushing list with 3,150 yards.
Alford will look to continue his running excellence when the Greyhounds finish out the 2013 football campaign at Arkansas Baptist College (2-6) Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon in Little Rock.
Fort Scott Community College's 1,000-yard rushers since 2006:
| Player | Season | Att-Yds.-TDs |
| Rodney Lovett | 2007 | 326-1,328-12 |
| Jasmin Hopkins | 2008 | 302-1,161-9 |
| Jasmin Hopkins | 2009** | 289-1,734-16 |
| Martese Jackson | 2011** | 234-1091-5 |
| Stanley Hagan | 2012 | 271-1,232-5 |
| Jo-Nathan Alford | 2013* | 232-1,105-9 |
* -- One game remaining in season.
* * -- Led Jayhawk Conference.
Since 2006, Fort Scott has had six 1,000-yard seasons from its running backs, more than any other conference school:
| -- | -- | Last season |
| -- | 1,000-yard | w/1,000-yd |
| School | rushers | rusher |
| Fort Scott | 6 | 2013 |
| Hutchinson | 3 | 2012 |
| Independence | 2 | 2010 |
| Butler | 1 | 2007 |
| Coffeyville | 1 | 2007 |
| Dodge City | 1 | 2013* |
| Garden City | 1 | 2006 |
| Highland | none | n/a |
* -- School's first 1,000-yard rusher since 2002.
NOTE: Jovani Franklin was officially the conference's leading rusher in 2006 even though the former Greyhound did not gain 1,000 yards. Conference leaders are based on per-game averages. Franklin averaged 105.3 yards per game in eight games (842 yards total). The second-leading rusher, Jeff Blanchard of Garden City, averaged 104.5 yards per game in 10 games (1,045 yards total).
Where did they go? A look at the Greyhounds' 1,000-yard backs and where they went after Fort Scott:
Rodney Lovett, 2007: Lovett transferred to Louisiana-Monroe after his only season at Fort Scott. He was elected a team captain for his senior season in 2010 but played mostly on special teams as he carried the ball just three times that year for 11 yards. As a junior in 2009, he rushed for 273 yards and two touchdowns.
Jasmin Hopkins, 2008-09: Hopkins went to the University of Northern Illinois, where he rushed for 1,322 yards on 17 touchdowns in two seasons. He rushed for 956 yards and 15 touchdowns in his senior year, 2011.
Martese Jackson, 2011: Jackson transferred to Florida Atlantic University. He started the first game of the 2012 season and rushed for 99 yards but was not able to keep the starting job and finished with 227 yards. So far this season, Jackson has played in just two games, rushing for 27 yards and catching one pass for minus-3 yards.
Stanley Hagan, 2012: Current whereabouts unknown.