By: Jack Stallard
JUCO Weekly Contributor
TYLER, Tx. – As is usually the case, Southwest Junior College Football Conference coaches and the media covering the league are all over the map when it comes to preseason rankings for the eight-team conference.
Kilgore was picked as the preseason favorite by the coaches, and Trinity Valley got the nod from the media in polls released at SWJCFC Media Day held on July 27 at Hollytree Country Club.
The four playoff teams were the same in both polls, just not in the same order. Coaches like Kilgore, Navarro, Trinity Valley and New Mexico Military as postseason teams – with all four teams earning at least one first-place vote.
The media sees a Trinity Valley, Kilgore, Navarro, NMMI finish – with TVCC, Kilgore and Navarro earning first-place votes.
A year ago, Kilgore finished fourth in the regular season, but knocked off No. 1 Trinity Valley and No. 2 NMMI to earn the conference title before falling to Butler (Kansas) in the Heart of Texas Bowl.
What does it all mean for the 2023 season? Not much.
"This conference is so talented from top to bottom, if you don't have your chin strap buckled up every Saturday you'll get beat," said Kilgore defensive coordinator Russell Thompson – representing the Rangers while head coach Willie Gooden who was having knee surgery that day.
"I believe this is by far the best conference in the nation, and that's why folks come and steal our players," he added with a laugh.
The constant flow of players moving on from the JUCO ranks to four-year schools was a big topic of discussion at media day – so much so that Trinity Valley head coach Sherard Poteete jokingly mentioned that first year Cisco coach Stephen Lee might have started a new trend.
Lee arrived at Cisco late and did not hold spring practice
"Maybe coach Lee has the right idea. No more spring ball so the big schools can't see our kids," Poteete said.
Navarro brings back one of the league's top quarterbacks in Dane Jentsch, who completed 147 of 205 passes for 2,003 yards, 14 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2022.
Bulldog head coach Ryan Taylor said fans and opponents will see a bigger, more polished Jentsch in 2023.
"He had a great offseason," Taylor said. "He added about 10 pounds of muscle. He's our captain and a leader. He has a great feel for the offense. We put a lot on him in the spring, really hit him in the mouth, and he embraced it. We signed some other kids who can play, but it's his job to lose."
Blinn, on the other hand, will decide between QBs Kahlib Johnson and Keilon Brown, and whoever wins the job will have a big-time security blanket in RB Antonio Martin.
Buccaneer head coach Ryan Mahon said Brown (5-11, 190) has a good grasp of the offense and Johnson (6-3, 220) came in late but has all of the physical tools to be dangerous in and out of the pocket.
Martin, a 4-star recruit from Fairburn, Georgia, signed with Georgia Tech out of high school but entered the transfer portal after spring practice.
Martin rushed for 1,535 yards and 16 touchdowns as a high school senior and had offers from Alabama, Florida and Miami among others.
"He was heavily recruited, got to Georgia Tech and then his position coach left," Mahon said. "He didn't get any playing time, and he comes here with a chip on his shoulder. He has a lot of talent and a tremendous upside. We just need to see him do it on the field."
Trinity Valley could have one of the league's top defenses, anchored up front by McCoy Casey (6-2, 250) but highlighted by linebackers Joe Sniffen (6-1, 215), David Tuihalangingie and Reid Pulliam (6-2, 227).
Casey had 54 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and three sacks a year ago. Sniffen, a coach's kid (Brett Sniffin is head coach at Belton High School) finished with 97 tackles, and Tuihalangingie racked up 67 stops.
Pulliam is a transfer from Louisiana Tech.
NOTES
The SWJCFC season begins on Thursday, Aug. 24 when Trinity Valley hosts Snow College at Malakoff High School.
The rest of the league will be in action on Saturday, Aug. 26 when Cisco Hosts TWA College, NMMI hosts St. George, Blinn hosts Louisiana Christian, Navarro hosts Hutchinson (Kansas) and Tyler hosts longtime rival Kilgore.
Northeastern Oklahoma will open its season at home against Independence (Kansas) on Aug. 31.