Published: August 27, 2009 10:01 pm      

TVCC AT DODGE CITY CC: Cards open in Kansas

Smiley says he won’t let his team overlook Conquistadors

Trinity Valley Community College Head Coach Brad Smiley knows there can be lots of distractions on a long road trip such as the one his team faces this weekend.

But when you remove all the muckety-muck, there’s really only one thing that will matter when the Cardinals line up against the Dodge City Conquistadors Saturday in Kansas.

“This is a business trip,” Smiley said Thursday. “Our No. 1 goal is to win a conference championship, and all this game is is an opportunity for us to know what kind of team we really have, what kind of team we’re made of.”

Last year, the Cards (6-4 in 2008) put a 48-0 whipping on the Conquistadors at Bruce Field. It was a bad start for a Dodge City team that finished with a 2-7 record.

Smiley points out, however, that so much changes from year to year in the junior college football world that it would be foolish to take any opponent for granted.

So if they don’t know much about what kind of Dodge City team will take the field in the opener, Smiley says the Cardinals should only focus on the kind of team they will put on the field.

“You put on the film and we know they are not where they were at the beginning of last year,” Smiley said. “I told (Dodge City Head) Coach (Bob) Majeski, ‘Buddy, I know where you’re coming from.’”

The previous season, it was Smiley who was the new head coach, and his team finished with a 2-7 mark. But the Cardinals pulled out of that funk with the help of a strong recruiting class that included running back Chad Winbush — a preseason All-American pick this year who ran for 829 yards and seven touchdowns — and the receiving duo of Chris Young and Darnell Williams, who were among the conference’s top 10 leading pass catchers.

Mention those names to Smiley, and he’ll quickly point out how excited he will be to see their obvious talents hit the field. But he’s just as quick to point out that he’ll have 60 to 61 players hit the field Saturday who he is equally anxious to see.

“There are a lot of kids I’m really excited about seeing,” Smiley said. “Nobody is a bigger fans of these young men than the guys on our coaching staff.”