'Hounds to begin season with Texas battle

Fort Scott linebacker Jacquian Williams, seen here catching a pass on a fake punt play during last Friday's intrasquad scrimmage, is one of only three full-time starters returning for the Greyhound defense. He was one of the players who helped Fort Scott lead the conference with 72 sacks. (Tribune photo/Scott Nuzum)

Fort Scott Community College's football team begins its season Saturday night when it travels to Texas to take on Kilgore College in one of the matchups in the third annual Jayhawk Conference vs. Southwest Junior College Football Conference first-weekend series.

The Greyhounds enter the pre-season ranked No. 18 in the National Junior College Athletic Association/jcfootball.com pre-season poll while Kilgore is No. 14. FSCC was picked by KJCCC coaches to finish third while Kilgore was the choice to win the SWJFC.

"We are excited about the opportunity," Fort Scott head coach Jeff Sims said Wednesday. "Kilgore will give us a chance early to see where we are at as a team. Regardless of the result Saturday, we believe that we have players that will continue to get better week in and week out -- which is all you can ask for as a coach."

Fort Scott cornerback Coryell Judie led the Jayhawk Conference with six interceptions last season. He was also third in the conference in kickoff returns, with an average of 32.3 yards per return. (Tribune photo/Scott Nuzum)

Last season, Fort Scott finished 9-3 in its first-season under Sims, finishing second in the Jayhawk Conference and runner-up in the Region VI Playoffs. Butler won both titles along with a share of the national championship as voters awarded a tie with Mississippi Gulf Coast.

The Greyhounds were invited to the Valley of the Sun Bowl, where they were defeated by Mesa, Ariz.

Kilgore was 8-4 and finished as the champion of the SWJFC playoffs. The Rangers went to the Heart of Texas Bowl for the second consecutive season and lost to Mississippi Gulf Coast.

The two schools have only met once, in the 2006 H.O.T. Bowl, a game Kilgore won 19-7. Fort Scott is 3-4 against Texas schools in school history and have not won a game in Texas.

This year's biggest challenge may be replacing quarterback Greg Cross, who signed with the University of Pittsburgh after leading the KJCCC with 2,137 yards passing. An intense quarterback battle in pre-season camp was won by Pittsburg Colgan graduate Zac Dickey (6' 1", 205, Fr.), who transferred in after spending a season as a redshirt at Oklahoma State.

Most KJCCC teams have an out-of-state player at quarterback. For Dickey to win the battle, he had to be impressive. However, when he enters the game Saturday, he will be taking his first college snap.

Garret Kufahl (6' 0", 200, Fr., Wheaton) is listed as the backup quarterback. He is also one of two players listed as a kicker along with Fort Scott High graduate Luke Halsey (5' 8", 170, Fr.). Halsey is also listed ar a running back.

There was also a battle for the out-of-state position at tailback (only 12 of the 55 players on a KJCCC roster can be graduates of a high school outside of Kansas). Jasmin Hopkins (5' 8", 170, Fr., Stanley, N.C.) earned the chance to fill the shoes of Rodney Lovett, who was second in the KJCCC with 1,328 yards while scoring 12 touchdowns. Lovett is now at the University of Louisiana-Monroe.

Charlie Jameson (5' 7", 200, Soph., Opolis) is the only other experienced tailback. Brent Lewis (5' 10", 230, Soph., Kansas City, Kan.) became the starting fullback during last year's playoffs.

Tino King (5' 8", 185, Fr., Pittsburg), another Colgan grad and Halsey are also listed as tailbacks. Brad Terron (6' 0", 235, Fr., Lansing) and Luke Snavely (6' 0", 220, Fr., Iola) are the other fullbacks.

Dickey will have a few experienced receivers to throw to. Nick Adams (6' 3", 195, Soph., Walterboro, S.C.) was second in the conference in receiving yards with 784 and fifth in receptions per game with an average of 4.4 (48 total, which was second). He scored seven touchdowns. Also back is Aaron Sexton (5' 9", 175, Soph., Erie) who caught 13 passes for 123 yards.

Brandon Kinnie (6' 4", 230, Fr., Kansas City, Mo.) redshirted in football but played basketball for FSCC last season. Other freshmen receivers are C.J. Fondren of Pittsburg (6' 3", 200), Tyler Fleming of Columbus (6' 2", 190), Josh Baker (6' 5", 220, Meriden), Zach McFall (6' 1", 185, Manhattan) and Keenan Mathies (6' 0", 180, Wichita).

Fort Scott will have both of the Sutton twins, both graduates of Anderson County High School, back as tight ends. Jeremy (6' 5", 250, Soph.) caught one pass for 17 yards while Josh (6' 6", 250, Soph.) did not catch any. Both of them also played basketball last season. The third tight end is Kaleb Schankie (6' 7", 225, Fr., Madison).

David Lazenby (6' 5", 295, Soph., Eclectic, Ala.) and Brandon Martens (6' 4", 270, Soph., Newton) are the only returning offensive linemen. Lazenby was a 2007 Honorable Mention All-Conference selection at tackle.

Every other linemen is a true or redshirt freshman. Candidates for spots on the line include Pleasanton's Chris Duggins (6' 3", 310), Jermarcus Hardick (6' 7", 300, Batesville, Miss.), Anthony Garrett (6' 5", 300, Prairie Village), Isaiah Porter (6' 5", 305, Paola), Zack Estes (6' 3", 275, Leavenworth), Cody Moore (6' 2", 285, Columbus) and Jeremiah Fleming (6' 2", 270, Pittsburg).

A pair of 2007 All-Conference Honorable Mention players anchor the defense. Defensive tackle Horace Hubbard (6' 5", 270, Soph., Gretna, Va.) had 15 sacks last season, the third-best total in the conference, while cornerback Coryell Judie (6' 0", 190, Soph., Marlin, Texas) had more interceptions -- six -- than any other player in the conference.

Sean Glades (6' 4", 250, Soph., Galena) and Michael McDonald (5' 11", 270, Soph., Kansas City, Kansas) also return on the line. McDonald is a tackle while Glades is an end.

Jason Pierre-Paul (6' 5", 280, Soph., Deerfield Beach, Fla.) may have the inside track on the other defensive end position. Backups at end include Isaiah Grace (6' 3", 235, Soph.), a member of the 2000 Fort Scott High School Class 4A State champion team who has decided to return to school. He played at FSCC in 2001. In junior college, if a player leaves school, his 'eligibility clock' stops until he chooses to return, so the intervening years did not affect his eligibility.

Also at end are Zacharia Bowers (6' 1", 240, Fr., Topeka) and Kaleb Mueller (6' 2", 220, Fr., Paola). The backup at the tackle positions is Bryan Johnson (6' 0", 295, Fr., Manhattan).

Jacquian Williams (6' 4", 230, Soph., Tampa, Fla.), who had 60 tackles, 5 1/2 sacks and two interceptions last season, is the lone returning starting linebacker. Sean Bighems (6' 3", 210, Soph., Leavenworth), Byron Dunnivant (6' 0", 215, Soph., Overland Park) and Justin Jenkins (6' 0", 215, Soph., Bucyrus) also return. Newcomers to the position are Tyler McKee (6' 0", 220, Fr., Shawnee), Zack Haskin (6' 3", 240, Fr., Overland Park), LeVonte David (6' 1", 205, Fr., Miami, Fla.) and Sedrick Ward (6' 2", 200, Fr., Kansas City, Kan.).

Judie is the only returning starter in the backfield. Mike Chapman (5' 11", 190, Soph., Overland Park) and Derrick Stewart (6' 0", 180, Soph., Youngstown, Ohio) have experience while the freshmen are David Garrett (5' 11", 190, Cleveland, Ohio), Bryant Sanchez (5' 10", 180, Olathe), Dennis Herbin (5' 9", 170, Junction City), Donnell Jones (5' 9", 165, Leavenworth) and Pleasanton's Danny McCullough (6' 3", 190).

Derek Helton (6' 0", 175, Soph., Hoyt) punted for an average of 35.6 yards last season. He punted more than anyone in the conference. Either Halsey or Kufahl will place kick and it's likely Judie will return kicks although Adams may also do so.

RULES CHANGES -- There are three notable rules changes this season in college football:

* The play clock will be run in a manner similar to the NFL. It will be 40 seconds after the ball was declared dead on the previous play. If the officials stop play for an administrative reason, it will be set 25 seconds.

* The five-yard facemask penalty no longer exists,

* The "horse-collar" tackle is now illegal as it is in the NFL.

KILGORE LEADS SERIES 1-0

Only meeting: 2006 Heart of Texas Bowl at Copperas Cove, Texas; Kilgore won 19-7.

Fort Scott vs. Texas schools: 3-4.

Texas fact: Fort Scott has not won a game in Texas (0-3).

1973: Navarro 17, Fort Scott 0 (Wool Bowl, Roswell, N. Mex.)

1989: Fort Scott 58, Tarelton State JV 13 (FS)

1993: Fort Scott 35, Ranger 16 (FS)

1999: Blinn 29, Fort Scott 20 (Mineral Water Bowl, Excelsior Springs, Mo.)

2006: Navarro 12, Fort Scott 0 (at Ennis, Texas)

2006: Kilgore 19, Fort Scott 7 (Heart of Texas Bowl at Copperas Cove)

2007: Fort Scott 18, Navarro 17 (FS)

Bold -- Jayhawk Conference game.