By Steve Carpenter
Blue Dragon Sports Information Director

Tyrell Reed Jr. … Brandon Epton Jr. … Ed Williams III … Amaris Shaw … Waymond Jordan Jr.

Those are the names of the players in the Hutchinson Community College football team's running backs room this season.

The term "running back by committee" sometimes leads to negative connotations and ill feelings in a running backs room.

That's hardly the case with the 2023 Blue Dragon running backs.

Collectively, these Blue Dragons have put together the fifth-best rushing offense and been part of the No. 2 scoring offense in the NJCAA this season.

Now the No. 1-ranked Blue Dragons play on a national stage at 2 p.m. Saturday at Gowans Stadium in the NJCAA National Playoff Semifinal against No. 4 East Mississippi.

"Nobody is worried about stats," said Epton, a 6-foot, 205-pound sophomore back from Dallas who transferred to Hutchinson from SMU. "We are just worried about getting the dub. If we are 1-0 at the end of the day, that's all that matters."

"There has never been animosity in our room," said Reed, a 5-10, 195-pound freshman from Topeka. "There is a lot of friendly competition between us, but we just want to win."

Reed is Hutchinson's top rusher this season with 692 yards on 111 carries. Reed is second in the NJCAA this season with 12 rushing touchdowns. Reed is averaging 6.2 yards per rush.

Epton has rushed for 501 yards on 102 carries with five touchdowns and 4.9 yards per rush.

Williams has rushed for 195 yards and two scores. Shaw rushed for 191 yards and two touchdowns, and Jordan has 166 yards and two scores.

"The first four of five weeks of the season, it always seemed to be somebody different leading the team," Blue Dragon head coach Drew Dallas said. "We realized finally that we some really good depth at running back.

"Running back is a very physical position that can wear you down. We are keeping our guys fresh.

"The guys are happy for their teammates' success. When one has a good play, the others are the first ones who congratulate him."

Through the first nine games of the season, each Blue Dragon back has had his game to shine.

Williams was the Blue Dragons leading rusher against Navarro with 58 yards.

One week later against Ellsworth, Reed earned KJCCC Player of the Week honors, touching the ball only nine times but going for 171 yards and three touchdowns. A month later, Reed scored four touchdowns and rushed for 171 yards in a Top 10 victory over No. 9 Dodge City.

Against Coffeyville, it was Epton's turn to lead Hutchinson in rushing with 55 yards.

Reed (123 yards) and Epton (100 yards) both reached the century mark against Butler.

"The coaches try to put us in the best position to go out and make plays," Epton said. "We just do whatever it takes to win the game."

Then came Game 10 against No. 2 Iowa Western. After the first quarter, the Blue Dragon backs took over.

As a team, Hutchinson rushed for 297 yards – 275 yards were amassed over the final three quarters.

Epton rushed for a career-high 122 yards on 13 carries and had a 55-yard touchdown run to give the Dragons a 28-21 lead.

Reed went for 80 yards on 17 carries and had a 3-yard touchdown run for Hutchinson's first score of the game in the second quarter.

But the feel-good story in the Running Backs Room on that day was Waymond Jordan Jr. With injuries limiting his playing time this season, Jordan busted out for 99 rushing yards on just four carries with touchdowns of 16 and 47 yards in the fourth quarter.

"Everybody went off," Reed said of the Iowa Western game. "Waymond bounced back and had phenomenal game."

"That was a lot of fun," Dallas said. "Waymond has battled a lot of injuries this year. He redshirted last year, and he was just kind of waiting for his time this fall. He made the most of that opportunity."

As running backs will do, both Epton and Reed know the road to their group's success is being paved by the Blue Dragon offensive line.

"The offensive line has been great this year," Epton said. "They go through a lot and don't get the praise that they should. They make it happen."

"We appreciate those guys so much," Reed added.