By Steve Carpenter
Hutchinson CC Sports Information Director

Normally when a newly hired football coach takes over a program, the average amount of time from hiring to first game is about eight months.

New Hutchinson Community College football coach Drew Dallas will have waited 14 months … or 471 days … or 11,304 hours … you get the idea ... between his hiring and first game.

"It's been a long time," said Dallas, who finally starts his Blue Dragon head coaching career at 7 p.m. on Friday against the Coffeyville Red Ravens. "I'm looking forward to finally getting to watch my guys play and get into a game situation. It still feels like there is a lot of preparation yet to be done, but the excitement is there and it will crank up as we get closer to kickoff."

The 2020 football season was delayed and pushed back to the spring because of the Coronavirus pandemic. The Blue Dragons will now play an eight-game schedule seven their usually seven conference foes and non-conference opponent Arkansas Baptist on April 11. Five of the eight games will be played on Sundays this season.

Added to the intrigue of the 2021 spring season is the fact that on Monday the NJCAA announced that Blue Dragon football is the No. 1-ranked team in the preseason poll – the first time that's happened in program history and just the second time Hutchinson football has achieved a No. 1-ranking.

"We are going to get everybody's best shot," said Dallas, whose team is also the Jayhawk Conference co-favorites this season with Garden City. "If we don't take it and run with it, (the ranking) doesn't meet a darn thing. If you want it at the end of the year, you better earn it every week."

The 2020-2021 Blue Dragons have 10 total starters returning from a 2019 team that went 10-2 and finished third in the final NJCAA Rankings. Hutchinson was a grand total of three points away from playing in a national championship game in 2019.

Dallas was the offensive coordinator of that team. All the 2019 Blue Dragons did was score 538 points and average 44.8 points per game (both marks are No. 3 in Blue Dragon history), rush for 244.5 yards per game (4th most in team history), tied a single-season record with 42 rushing touchdowns and average 4.19.6 total yards per game (fifth in Blue Dragon history).

Dallas will rebuild the offense around an experienced offensive line, but the skilled position players have little or no collegiate experience.

Redshirt freshman C.J. Ogbonna and true freshman Dylan Laible will be the two quarterback tapped to start the season, and both will see time in Friday's game. The dual-threat Ogbonna has been in the Blue Dragon program and knows Dallas' offensive system, but hasn't seen playing time since 2018 in high school. Laible is more of a pocket-passing quarterback who stands 6-feet, 5 inches tall.

"Both will see game reps," Dallas said. "Both are extremely intelligent and I expect both will be good game managers. I'm confident in their abilities. It's just a matter now of getting them into game action."

Whoever is throwing the football, he will have some experienced receivers to throw to.

Cortez Braham played in nine games last season and caught 17 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns. Cam Henderson had two receptions in six games. Dallas is also expecting redshirt freshman Emmanuel Mann and Tyrone Howell to be a big part of the receiver rotation.

The Blue Dragons won't have a running back who touched the ball in 2019 as a Blue Dragon. Dallas is high on Georgia Military transfer Tye Edwards and freshman Ronald Hoff to make impacts. Dallas likes the depth at the running back position and expects to use multiple backs throughout the season.

The tight end position will be manned by a pair of freshmen in Florida International transfer Ivan Thomas and freshman Tamauri Chislom.

The offensive line will be anchored by right tackle Stevie Young at right tackle, Kingsley Ugwu and left tackle and Aric Harris at center. Young started all 12 games last season and Ugwu and Harris saw plenty of playing time in 2019. Freshman Brandon Hall and UT-Kingsville transfer Dennis Wilburn will likely start at the guards.

"This is our most experienced position on offense and our deepest," Dallas said. "I'm excited about the offensive line."

The 2020-21 defense has a tough act to follow as the 2019 Blue Dragon defense was one of the best in the nation.

The 2019 Blue Dragons allowed only 15 points per game, 88.2 rushing yards, 134 passing yards and 222.2 total yards per game. The Blue Dragons had 25 takeaways and produced 52 quarterback last season.

Returning on the defensive line are tackles Demarco Roland and Jaylan Bass. Roland had nine tackles, including a sack in nine games played last season. Bass played in five games and had four tackles. Redshirt freshman Zy Strong and true freshman Daishon Folsom are the leading candidate to fill the defensive end spots.

The Blue Dragons have two very experienced linebackers in all-conference returnee Gereme Spraggins and Jurrente Davis.

Spraggins was the second-leading tackler in 2019 with 21 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss and a pair of quarterback sacks. Spraggins also had two fumble recoveries and an interception. Davis came on strong in the last half of 2019 and finished with 45 tackles and seven tackles for loss. Also in the mix will be R.J. Evans, Tre Pinkney and Quitman Kincaid at the linebacker spot.

"Gereme and Jurrente at linebacker have a lot of reps between them," Dallas said. "The experience we have at linebacker is huge."

Ro Torrence is the most experienced cornerback returning. Deonte Stanley also saw time last season. Torrence played in five games last season in limited duty. Jalik Thomas and Shamari Simmons are also in line for playing time at cornerback.

The Dragons will have new faces at both safety positions as four players will primarily rotate in the secondary. Freshman Caleb Coleman, Marquise Gilbert, De'Angelo Sapp and De'Sean Spencer will carry the primary load early.

Freshman Alfonso Deleon, freshman Caleb Brickhouse and C.J. Moya are all in line to do the kicking and punting duties this season.

"Alfonso has a really strong long and all three are really good kickers," Dallas said. "You will likely see all three of those guys on Friday night."

Henderson will likely be the Dragons' No. 1 punt returner while Thomas and Matt will see time returning kickoffs.

The Blue Dragons look to improve what was a sub-par special teams season in 2019.