CAPTION: Fifth-year Hutchinson Community College football coach Drew Dallas gets a hug from one of his players after the Blue Dragons defeated Iowa Western Community College 28-23 in the NJCAA Division I national championship game Wednesday night at West Texas A&M University’s Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium in Canyon, Texas. CREDIT BLUE DRAGON SPORTS/HUTCHCC SPORTS INFORMATION
By John Mesh
Football at any level requires teams to make numerous adjustments, especially when a team is trying to win a national championship.
Sometimes the adjustments are made during halftime or on the fly during the game.
The team that makes the most adjustments usually wins.
Making the right adjustments was a major key for the Hutchinson Community College football team’s 28-23 victory over Iowa Western Community College in the NJCAA Division I championship game Wednesday night at West Texas A&M University’s Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium in Canyon, Texas.
HutchCC won its second NJCAA Division I championship in five years.
Hutchinson’s first NJCAA Division I football championship game took place in the spring of 2021 (the COVID-19 pandemic shut down most college sporting events for 2020). Hutchinson rallied to defeat Snow College, Utah, 29-27.
Making the right adjustments enabled the Blue Dragons to rally after falling behind 14-0 to an Iowa Western program that won back-to-back national titles in 2022 and 2023 by a combined score of 92-14.
The 2022 title was a 31-0 victory over Hutchinson. In 2023, Iowa Western defeated East Mississippi (which beat HutchCC in the semifinals) 61-14.
“We had a couple opportunities to make some key plays,” said fifth-year Hutchinson Blue Dragon coach Drew Dallas (49-5 career record) during his postgame radio interview with Sean Boston (play-by-play) and Daren Dunn (analyst). They called the game for KWBW/KHUT/Eagle Radio.
“It got pretty tight during the game. I was extremely proud of the adjustments we made,” Dallas said.
One of the adjustments turned into a 73-yard punt return touchdown by Hutchinson’s Kordell Ghouldsby that put the Blue Dragons ahead 28-17. Ghouldsby was named the Player of the Game.
“That punt return was huge,” Dallas said.
The Blue Dragons adjusted to allow sophomore running back Waymond Jordan Jr. to finally break free for a couple of long runs late in the second quarter. Jordan, the nation’s leading rusher, ran for 79 yards and was held in check during the first half by the Iowa Western defense.
Jordan, who will play football at the University of Central Florida in the Big 12 Conference, is the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Offensive Player of the Year and the winner of the Juco Weekly Trophy (awarded to the best player in NJCAA Football).
The Blue Dragons also had to adjust when sophomore starting quarterback Samari Collier had to leave the game because of an injury. He was replaced by freshman Christian Johnson.
Johnson started one game for Collier when Collier was injured earlier in the season. Johnson received considerable playing time during the season.
Collier passed for 1,373 yards this season (with 19 touchdowns) and Johnson threw for 983 (with 9 TDs).
Johnson threw a 34-yard TD pass to Tre Brown to put the Blue Dragons ahead 21-17 with 5:11 left in the third quarter.
“We have all the faith in the world in Christian,” Dallas said. “Samari has big-play ability. Christian can operate the offense at a high level.”
The HutchCC football program has been likened to “driving a Ferrari” with coach Dallas being given the keys. However, for Dallas, it’s all about the team.
“It’s not about one guy,” Dallas said. “It’s not about me. This is a really special place (Hutchinson). I’m lucky to be in the driver’s seat. My wife and family love the place to death. We have a great support system. We’re proud to bring the title back to Hutchinson.”