After posting a team-record-tying 42 victories over the last five seasons, the Hutchinson Community College football team is looking for even more in 2013.

Over the last five seasons, the Blue Dragons have finished in each of the last five final NJCAA polls, won four-straight bowl games and have advanced to the Region VI championship game four times over that span. The last three editions of Blue Dragon football have won at least nine games, which has never been done before.

With an appearance in the 2013 NJCAA Preseason Football Poll, the Blue Dragons extend their school record of consecutive appearances in the poll to 43-straight weeks and have appeared in 54 of the last 56 polls. The No. 6 preseason NJCAA ranking matches a program best.

But HCC continues to try and scratch what has become an 18-year itch – that’s the last time the Blue Dragons captured either a league or regional championship. HCC tied for the 1995 Jayhawk Conference regular-season championship and won the 1995 Region VI title.

Now entering his seventh season, Blue Dragon head coach Rion Rhoades sees a lot of different things about his 2013 team as the season opens on Saturday night at Coffeyville.

On one hand, Rhoades sees a 3,000-yard passer returning in sophomore Luke Barnes and an offensive line with two starters returning and quality transfers coming in to bolster the front line. On the other hand, Rhoades has no returning receivers or tight ends.

Defensively, much the same scenario. The defensive secondary is packed with returning all-Jayhawk Conference performers, but the front seven has just two starters returning.

Now considered among the nation’s elite junior college football programs, Rhoades is confident, that while growing pains in 2013 will be unavoidable, this Blue Dragons will be right there at the end to once again compete for Jayhawk Conference and Region VI titles.

All Jayhawk Conference rosters will have a little different look to them in 2013. The roster size has been increased to 63 and Jayhawk Conference teams will be able to carry 20 out-of-state players. Last year, those numbers were 59 and 12 with a four-player out-of-state taxi squad.

The Blue Dragons come off a 9-3 season in 2012 and all three losses came to nationally ranked opponents in national runner-up Butler (twice) and Navarro College.

Hutchinson’s offense returns three starters (Barnes and offensive linemen Terrale Johnson and Jess Westmoreland) and just seven letter winners. The defense has four starters and eight overall letter winners back. Rhoades will be looking to replace all the major components on special teams.

Over the last five seasons, few offenses have consistently put of the stellar marks the Blue Dragons have posted.

Last season, Hutchinson ranked fifth in the NJCAA in scoring offense (45.2 ppg), fifth in total offense (498.2 ypg), sixth in passing offense (301.8 ypg) and 20th in rushing offense (196.5 ypg). The Dragons broke the 50-point mark five times and saw the single-game rushing, passing and reception records fall last season. HCC had three games more than 700 yards of total offense.

While offense wasn’t an issue, the 2012 Blue Dragon defense was very up and down.

While going through a five-game stretch where it had a shutout and allowed an average of 8.8 points per game, HCC had allowed 40-plus points in three games and allowed an average of 40 points per game in its three losses.

The 2012 Blue Dragon defense ranked 28th in scoring defense (23.9 ppg), 41st in total defense (331.1 ypg), 51st in passing defense (205.2 ypg) and 25th in rushing defense (125.8 ypg).

The 2013 schedule rotates this season and HCC will have just four home games. The first three games of the season will be crucial to setting up the rest of the season for the Blue Dragons. Hutchinson opens at No. 12 Coffeyville, a team once again on the rise in the Jayhawk Conference. HCC will open the home schedule with No. 3 Navarro College coming to Gowans Stadium on Aug. 31. No. 19 Garden City will then visit Gowans one week later.

The regular season will end with what many expect could be a showdown for the 2013 Jayhawk Conference championship at No. 5 preseason Butler on Oct. 26.

Then the final Region VI Playoffs being a week later. Next season there won’t be playoffs in Region VI as the Jayhawk Conference goes into its newly formed scheduling alliance with the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference. HCC will play 11 regular-season games with no regional playoffs next season.

The Blue Dragons must replace 20 players who moved onto four-year programs after the 2012 season. Of the 20, 13 went onto FBS programs, nine to BCS programs.

THE BLUE DRAGON OFFENSE
Quarterback
Few junior college head coaches can say that they return a 3,000-yard passer, but HCC’s Rhoades can in 2013.

Luke Barnes (6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Fort Walton Beach, Fla.) returns this season after throwing for HCC single-season records of 3,256 yards, 266 completions and 36 touchdowns. He also set season records for total offense (3,244 yards) and passing yards per game (271.3 ypg) and single-game records of 459 yards, six touchdowns and 32 completions.

“Luke gives us a lot of peace going into this season,” Rhoades said. “He knows the offense and he plays with a lot of confidence. Some of his biggest improvements are in leadership.”

As Barnes enters his sophomore season, he already ranks second in passing touchdowns, third in passing yards, third in completions and fourth in total offense. He enters his sophomore season as the Blue Dragon career leader in both completion percentage and passing yards per game. Barnes owns 4 of the top 5 single passing games in Blue Dragon history.

As a back-up, the Blue Dragons look to an in-state player whose father played at the University of Kansas and in professional football.

Frankie Seurer (6-1, 190, Olathe/Olathe South) will have a unique opportunity to learn from Barnes while getting his feet wet at the collegiate level.

“Frankie Seurer is a talented young guy who brings a lot to the table, so we are excited about him. He’s going to have a chance to learn from Luke and have a chance to do some things and gain some comfort in playing college football.”

Offensive Line
While there is inexperience spread throughout the skilled positions, the 2013 Blue Dragons return two starters and bring in some key transfers to the offensive line.

Returning sophomores Terrale Johnson (6-2, 305, Manhattan) and Jess Westmoreland (6-3, 298, Hutchinson/Hutchinson High) were mainstays on the 2012 offensive line. Clint Lewis (6-2, 312, Peck, KS/Clearwater) played in six games and got a lot of reps.

Rhoades is very excited about North Carolina State transfers Quincy McKinney (6-4, 310, Columbus, GA) and Eddie Gordon (6-2, 320, Boiling Springs, SC).

“(Johnson and Westmoreland) are great leaders and when you add in Quincy McKinney and Eddie Gordon, who both have played big-time college football in the ACC, and then the new guys, we have a chance to be very good.”

Among the incoming freshmen, Alex Lee (6-0, 281, Wichita/Wichita Northwest) and Clay Wilcox (6-2, 309, Anthony/Chaparral) are 2013 Kansas Shrine Bowl selections.

Running Backs/Fullbacks
By necessity, sophomore tailback Orange Mooney was thrown into the fire last season. When asked to, Mooney delivered.

Playing in 10 games, Mooney (Olathe/Olathe North) was HCC’s second-leading rusher with 444 yards on 80 carries and two touchdowns. Mooney came up huge in the 2012 Region VI semifinals against Coffeyville when he rushed 12 times for a career-best 114 yards and a 73-yard touchdown.

Mooney will be one of the key figures who will replace workhorse Terrell Lane, who last season ran for 1,632 yards and 15 touchdowns while breaking a 45-year-old single-game rushing record with 308 yards against Garden City.

Auburn University transfer Mike Blakely (Palmetto, Fla.) and University of Missouri signee Chase Abbington (6-2, 209, St. Peters, Mo.) will be a part of the mix in the backfield.

“Orange is a talented player, a very capable back,” Rhoades said. “He can do a lot of things and he’s a tough player. “Mike Blakely has played in the SEC. He has a lot of ability and we are excited to see what he can do.”

At Auburn last season, Blakely played in six games and rushed 33 times for 153 yards (4.6 yards/carry) and no touchdowns. He had a single-game best 13 carries for 71 yards against Texas A&M.

Little experience returns at fullback. Returning sophomore Taylan Ybarra (6-2, 247, Wellington, 0 carries in 2012) and freshman Kaleb Gillis (6-2, 211, Herrington) will battle for that position.

Tight Ends
There is no returning experience at tight end in 2013. Historically, Blue Dragon tight ends have been tremendous run and pass blockers and have always had a penchant for making huge third-down catches.

Rhoades sees those qualities in incoming freshmen Curtis Stallbaumer (6-5, 266, Baileyville/Baileyville B&B) and Shane Bennett (6-3, 219, Holcomb).  Both have the size to be very effective in the Blue Dragon offense in 2013.

“This is probably the biggest group of tight ends that we have had and they have a lot of potential,” Rhoades said. “They will help us in both the run game and pass game.”

Stallbaumer is a 2013 Kansas Shrine Bowl participant.

Receivers
The 2013 group of Blue Dragon receivers have big shoes to fill.

The top three HCC receivers in 2012 – Antonio Johnson, Javatius Stewart and Miguel Johns – were the most productive pass-catching trio in Blue Dragon history. All three had at least 800 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.

The trio combined for 195 receptions, 2,678 yards and 33 touchdowns in 2012, marks unrivaled by any other receiving group in team history.

Throw in Kody Cook’s 41 catches for 386 yards and two scores and you have some astronomical numbers to replace.

“We return no receivers, but I am excited about the young receivers we have coming in,” Rhoades said. “They are unproven, so it will be interesting to see who emerges as playmakers in this group.”

Among the youthful cast vying for receiving spots will be 2013 Kansas Shrine Bowl participant Jacob Brooks (6-2, 186, Norton) and Jovonte Siglar (6-1, 172, Overland Park/Blue Valley Northwest), whose father played in the NFL, including time with the Kansas City Chiefs, Bryce Harvey (6-0, 182, Wichita/Bishop Carroll) and Chris Murray (5-10, 179, Tampa, FL). East Carolina transfer Jabril Soloman (6-2, 192, Hemingway, SC) is also expected to figure into the rotation.

THE BLUE DRAGON DEFENSE
Defensive Tackles
As the 2013 Blue Dragon defense looks to improve on its up-and-down numbers of 2012, they will have to do so with only one starter back on the defensive line, none at defensive tackle as the defense staff looks to replace a pair of SEC-bound players in All-American Toby Johnson and first-team All-Conference Ben Bradley.

James Peoples (6-4, 292, Ottawa) and Marquis Montgomery (6-1, 303, Loganville, GA) played in a combined 19 games last season. Peoples had 13 tackles, including two for loss. Montgomery had seven tackles.

“James and Marquis both had good springs and we are excited to see how they do this year,” Rhoades said. “The younger guys have a lot to bring to the table.

“Potentially, this is could be a very strong group, but there is not a lot of game experience in that group.”

Among the newcomers are Arizona Western College transfer Dondre Chanet (6-3, 306, Lafayette, LA), redshirt freshman Jeremiah Ledbetter (6-3, 281, Gainesville, GA), who can play either tackle or end, and freshman Terrance Summers (Springfield, GA).

Defensive ends
Returning starter Carnell Simon (6-4, 264, Duluth, GA) was an All-Jayhawk Conference honorable mention player as a freshman. He played in only eight games last season, but they were a productive eight games. Simon had 36 tackles, including 10 for loss and 4.5 quarterback sacks, which was second on the team only Bradley.

Joe Schrock (6-2, 241, Hutchinson/Trinity Catholic) saw limited playing time (5 tackles in 4 games). A year of growth and a good spring session have him reach to contribute this season.

Redshirt freshman Marquavius Lewis (6-4, 274, Greenwood, S.C.) has been impressive and is poised to solidify one of the D-end positions and give the front four some needed stability.

“I am really looking forward to see how Marquavius Lewis does,” Rhoades said. “Carnell Simon and Joe Schrock have played games in this league and Carnell has started. We will have those three guys and we will see after that.”

Linebackers
The unquestioned leader of the 2013 Blue Dragon defense will be returning sophomore linebacker Brock Long (5-11, 218, Brookville/Southeast of Saline).

As a freshman, Long tied for second on the team in tackles with 88. That included 6.5 tackles for loss, two quarterback sacks, one interception, one fumble recovery, three forced fumbles, two quarterback hurries and two passes broken up.

Over the final six games of his freshman season, Long averaged 11 tackles per game and had 10 or more in 5 of those 6 games, including a career-high 14 in a Salt City Bowl victory over Iowa Central.

“Brock brings great leadership and he’s got a great motor and brings a lot of grit to our defense, so we are going to lean on him a lot to glue the defense together,” Rhoades said.

North Carolina State transfer Michael Peek (6-3, 220, Loganville, GA) is a transfer from North Carolina State. Akim Francis (6-2, 236, Kissimmee, Fla.) is a highly-touted linebacker. Hays High freshman Emilio Mitchell (6-2, 236) are all expected to contribute this season.

Rhoades says the overall speed of the 2013 linebacking corps is comparable to 2012. This group will have to consistently make plays, though, to improve the roller-coaster ride of 2012.

Secondary
While the front seven collectively finds its way early in the 2013 season, the Blue Dragon secondary has plenty of returning talent to cover up for the growing pains of their youthful teammates.

“We have some good cover guys on the back end,” Rhoades said. “Christian, Shattle and Keegan have all been to battle in this conference. They are proven players, but I am excited to have a few of these new guys jump in there to compete with them. There is some really good talent.”

The 2013 secondary returns a pair of starters, both of whom received postseason notoriety as freshmen.

All-Jayhawk Conference honorable mention selections Christian Goodlett (5-11, 188) Lawrenceville, GA) and Shattle Fenteng (6-2, 190, Loganville, GA) are back.  Goodlett had 69 tackles, four interceptions and 12 passes broken up in a solid freshman season. Fenteng tallies 56 tackles, four interceptions and 12 passes defended.

Also back is safety Keegan Murphy (5-11, 193, Arkansas City). He played in all 12 games and totaled 36 tackles with a fumble recovery and a forced fumble.

If the newcomers in the secondary reach the coaching staff’s projections, the 2013 Blue Dragons will have a very deep secondary.

East Carolina transfer Glen Hilliard (5-11, 176, Anderson, SC) and Georgia Military College transfer Jaylon Myers (6-2, 201, North Augusta SC) have earned high praise from Rhoades, as well as freshman Caleb Carson (6-2, 216, Clay Center).

SPECIAL TEAMS
The Blue Dragons will go into the new season with a question mark at kicker. Freshman Ryan Weese (6-8, 170, Olathe/St. Thomas Aquinas) will be the place kicker this season.

Punter is equally up in the air. Entering camp, the punting duties are Caleb Carson’s, but Luke Barnes did average 35.2 yards per attempt on 19 punts last season, including seven downed inside the 20-yard line and had three of 50 or more yards.

Very little experience returns in terms of a return specialist. Only Orange Mooney brought back a punt last season, only one for 7 yards.

(By Steve Carpenter, HCC Sports Information Director)