BLUE DRAGONS SET TO KICK OFF 2017 ON SATURDAY

HCC Sports Information

The Hutchinson Community College Football Team is set to kick off its 86th season of football on Saturday against Jayhawk Conference rival Coffeyville.

Kickoff is set for Noon at Gowans Stadium.

The Blue Dragons and Red Ravens meet in the season opener for the second-straight year and for the eighth time ever. Last season at Veterans' Memorial Stadium in Coffeyville, the Blue Dragons raced out to a 27-7 halftime lead before holding on for a 34-26 victory.

The Blue Dragons have won nine-straight season openers and have won 20 of the last 22 season openers

Hutchinson is 49-34-2 all-time in season openers.

Both Hutchinson and Coffeyville come off disappointing seasons in 2016.

The Blue Dragons went 5-6 for the second-straight season, but lost all six games last year by a grand total of 24 points. Defense wasn't the problem in 2016. The Dragons had the second-best overall defense in the Jayhawk Conference. Despite leading the league in rushing, the overall Blue Dragon offense faltered at key times and injuries decimated that unit. Hutch went through three quarterbacks and late in the season were down to only six healthy offensive linemen and started five different running backs.

Twenty-one total players, 19 who started at least one game in 2016, are back for head coach Rion Rhoades, who is the longest-tenured Jayhawk Conference coach, starting his 11th season.

The Blue Dragons have two quarterbacks who started games last season – Chris James and Cam Jones. The Dragons return two starting running backs in DeShawn Waller and Otis Williams. Dominic Taylor started all 11 games for the Blue Dragons on the offensive line.

Jones, who threw for 1,053 yards and five touchdowns last season will be the starter on Saturday.

All eyes will be on Alabama transfer running back B.J. Emmons who rushed for 173 yards and one touchdown while averaging 4.3 yards per carry for the Crimson Tide in 2016.

The defensive backfield and linebacking corps have the most experience returning. Linebackers Quen Head and Guy Victoria, the Blue Dragons' Nos. 1 and 3 tacklers in 2016, are both back, along with injured starter Colby Turner. Adrian Cross, Michael Witherspoon, Storey Jackson and Lawson Holbert make up potentially a very good secondary.

All-conference defensive tackle Tayland Humphrey will anchor a young defensive line.

Coffeyville was 6-5 last season, but made a strong late-season run to get over the .500 mark.

Coffeyville, Rezolution Prep, Highland, Iowa Central, Butler and Fort Scott make up the home portion of the 2017 Blue Dragon schedule.