By Jayson Larson Editor
CARROLL — The bitter feelings of a 2-7 record in 2007 are a distant memory these days in the land of the Cardinals.
Maybe it was last year’s 6-4 playoff campaign that put the bad memories to rest. Or the fact that, as of Thursday, the Cardinals will enter the season with a pre-season All-American at running back (Chad Winbush) and at punter (Cody Lenz).
When coaches voted head coach Brad Smiley’s TVCC squad to finish third in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference, it was confirmation of what the Cardinals have accomplished over the past two seasons.
“I’d definitely like to think we’re headed in the right direction,” Smiley said. “We’re looking forward to a fun year. This is the best time of the year. We’ve got a lot to build on from last season.”
Coaches, as they usually do, were quick to point out the SWJCFC is the best in the nation. They even took a somewhat playful shot at the Jayhawk Conference, home of defending national champion Butler Community College (Kan.) — which enters the season as the No. 1-ranked team in the country.
“They play good football,” said first-year Northeastern Oklahoma A&M; head coach Donnie Bigby, “but they’re not the Southwest Conference.”
That sentiment was echoed by other SWJCFC coaches. Those same coaches know, however, worrying about Kansas football will be useless when they line up against their peers — including Blinn — the No. 5-ranked team in the country — and rival Navarro College, who enters the season with a No. 7 preseason national ranking.
Smiley thinks his team will be in the mix with the top dogs in the conference with nine starters returning on the offensive side of the ball. Only problem is, one of the vacancies — at quarterback — is a major one.
Garrett Beal and Tyler Little are in a strong competition for the starter’s job, although Smiley later said he’s not sure the job will be nailed down by the Aug. 29 opener at Dodge City (Kan.).
And with Winbush — the conference’s fourth-leading rusher (826 yards) back to run behind a veteran offensive line, the quarterback will be counted on as much to minimize mistakes as he will to make big plays.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Cardinals have four returning starters including linebacker Dan Jackson, who had 43 tackles and two sacks in 10 games last year.
Other notables from Media Day included:
TYLER — Head coach Danny Palmer, whose team finished 5-4 last year, noted his team is the only one in the conference to have not made the postseason over the last four years. He hopes to change that, but like TVCC, has a hole at quarterback. Eustace High School grad Michael Cook is one of two getting a strong look at the position.
NEO — Bigby, one of two new head coaches in the conference, said he wants to return the program to the level it was at in 2002-2003, when the team won 21 games and a pair of conference titles.
Bigby’s squad (3-6 in 2008) has seven returning starters on offense, but none on defense.
NAVARRO — Nick Bobeck, entering his second season, is looking to take his team to the next level after a 10-1 campaign that saw their only loss come to national title contender Blinn.
Bobeck said the Bulldog defense, with seven returning starters, should be a strength.
KILGORE — Head coach J.J. Eckert, which finished 6-4 last season, said his team will have to rely on its defense early on as a young offensive unit learns the ropes. That defensive unit will be anchored by cornerback Jimmy Anderson, a preseason first-team All American.
Kilgore’s first four games, however, will be tough: on the road at Fort Scott, on the road to Tyler and then home against Navarro and Blinn.
CISCO — Scott Taylor, entering his first season and inheriting a program that was 2-7 last season, said he is grateful to take over the reins, noting, “I started Cisco as the dorm guy, head of the dorms, and now I’m the head football coach and athletic director.”
He could be in for a tough road. He said 75 players reported for spring ball, and only 30 remained through the end.
BLINN — Head coach Brad Franchione has a bit of a different situation than Cisco — in his four seasons, Blinn has sent 75 players to Division I schools to continue their football careers.
The team that finished 9-3 last season gets a potent test to begin this season when it hosts the aformentioned No. 1 Butler Community College club.
2009 SWJCFC Coaches Poll
1 2 3 4 5 6 Total
Blinn 4 1 - - - 1 54
Navarro 2 2 2 - - - 54
TVCC - 2 3 1 - - 49
Kilgore - 2 1 3 - - 47
NEO 1 - 1 - 3 1 47
Tyler - - - 3 2 1 38
Cisco - - - - 2 4 32
Points based on 10 points for first-place vote, 9 for second, 8 for third, 7 for fourth, 6 for fifth, 5 for sixth. Coaches could not vote for their own team.
2009 TVCC schedule
A29 @ Dodge City 7 p.m.
S5 Cisco 7 p.m.
S19 *NEO (Family Day) 3 p.m.
S26 *@ Cisco 7 p.m.
O3 *Navarro (Hall of Fame Day) 7 p.m.
O10 *@ Blinn 3 p.m.
O17 *Kilgore 5 p.m.
O24 *@ Tyler 7 p.m.
O31 Arkansas Baptist (Homecoming) 3 p.m.
N7 Conference playoffs TBA
N14 Regional championship TBA
* SWJCFC game
