A 2011 season that saw his football team go 4-4 and have bad outings in their first two games most head coaches would look back and feel bad about how things went but not Curtis Horton, the 2nd year head coach of the Fort Scott Community College Greyhound football team. Horton sees last year as a positive and a chance for the 2012 team to grow with the experience that was not there a year ago. "We were young last year and it showed with some of the mistakes that we made but we grew as a team during the season and especially during the off-season," states Horton.
The excitement for Horton is that this year's team returns several key components from last year, sophomores and redshirt freshmen on both sides of the ball and will look at the 2012 sophomore class to be the leaders on and off of the field.
Defense is a key to any good football team and it will be a vocal point for the Greyhounds this season as they return a strong nucleus from last season's squad. Defensive back Kevin Short, a 6'2" 182 pound sophomore out of Florissant (MO) will lead a tremendous group of defensive backs returning from 2011. Short led the Hounds and the Jayhawk Conference in interceptions last season with five and is three shy of breaking the school record of eight in a career. Short will be paired with fellow d-backs Austin Fulson (5'8 197 Olathe, KS), Kaman Holt (5'8" 170 Coffeyville, KS), and Antonio Carter (5'11" 190 Columbus, GA); all four are sophomores. Fulson was a key performer for the Maroon and Gray defense in 2011 tallying 45 tackles from his defensive back spot. Returning sophomore linebacker Anthony Curtis (6'0 230" Topeka, KS) will return to the Hounds starting defense after recording 23 tackles in some valuable playing time last season. On the defensive line, the Greyhounds return a highly touted D1 recruit in lineman Justin Taimatuia. The 6'2" 300 pound American Samoan Taimatuia will look to build on his 2011 campaign where he recorded 35 tackles and 5 tackles behind the line for loss.
On offense, the Greyhounds will have to look for replacements for their leading rusher, quarterback, leading receiver, and most of their starting offensive line from a year ago. But with the returners and newcomers they have in camp, Coach Horton feels they could be a very productive unit, "offense starts with a strong front line and I feel with the "Big Nasty's" we have on the line we can be an approved offensive team from last year" Horton said. Returning from last season at his offensive tackle position is Chris Mayer, a 6'7" 355 pound sophomore out of Mill Valley, KS while 6'8" 325 pound tackle Anthony Moore (Kansas City, KS) anchors the other side of what could be the largest line in FSCC history. Devyn McPhaull, 6'4" 260 Leavenworth (KS) will line up as the tight end for the Hounds and will look to give them a big target to throw to.
Nashville (TN) product Stanley Hagan, 6'0 190 pounds freshman, will start at running back while Jared Dangerfield, a 6'3 200 pound sophomore from Royal Palm Beach (FL), will start at the wide receiver position. Hagan and Dangerfield are both electric players and will excite the Greyhound crowds when they enter the field on Saturday's. Sean Strehl, a 6'2 215 pound sophomore from St. Louis (MO), will be under center to start 2012. Strehl blends speed with a great throwing arm and will look at both ways to put points on the board for the good guys.
Coach Horton enters the 2012 season with a new crop of coaches with new defensive coordinator Keith Jordan the only returning leader from previous years; Jordan is entering his third year with the Hounds. Joining Horton and Jordan will be Johnny Cole (Offensive Coordinator), Matt Glades (Linebackers), Moses Harper (Wide Receivers), Trey Pike (Running Backs), and Richard Johnson (Defensive Line). Coach Glades is returning to FSCC where he was a stand-out linebacker for the 2006-2007 Greyhound teams.
Even with the many new faces Coach Horton emphasizes that the program's mission statement remains the same, "we will work hard every day to fulfill the same common goal as coaches and players believing that Graduation, Championship, and Scholarship is the "top victory" for the Hounds football program".
Home games against conference foes Coffeyville, Dodge City, and Hutchinson along with non-conference Tyler (TX) and Arkansas Baptist (AR) will bring the excitement back to the Fort on Saturday afternoons at Frary Field.
The Fort Scott Greyhounds will open their 2012 "Win Today" football campaign against the Highland (KS) Scotties in Highland, Kansas.