Butler is followed in the preseason poll by defending Mississippi Association of Community & Junior Colleges champion Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Ellsworth Community College (Iowa), three-time Western States Football League champs Snow College (Utah) and defending Southwest JC Football Conference champs Blinn College (Texas).
Head coach Troy Morrell is 96-11 (.897) in nine seasons with the Butler Grizzlies and has led the program to eight consecutive Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) championships and three national titles in six years (2003, 2007, 2008).
Rank |
College, State |
2008
|
Ret. Starters |
1. |
Butler Community College, Kan. |
11-1 |
1 Off. / 4 Def. |
2. |
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College |
10-2 |
6 Off. / 6 Def. |
3. |
Ellsworth Community College, Iowa |
8-3 |
7 Off. / 7 Def. |
4. |
Snow College, Utah |
11-1 |
3 Off. / 4 Def. |
5. |
Blinn College, Texas |
9-3 |
5 Off. / 4 Def. |
6. |
East Mississippi Community College |
8-2 |
7 Off. / 7 Def. |
7. |
Navarro College, Texas |
10-1 |
5 Off. / 7 Def. |
8. |
Georgia Military College |
9-2 |
5 Off. / 1 Def. |
9. |
Dean College, Mass. |
10-1 |
7 Off. / 5 Def. |
10. |
Eastern Arizona College |
8-3 |
7 Off. / 5 Def. |
11. |
Pearl River Community College, Miss. |
8-3 |
N/A |
12. |
Trinity Valley Community College, Texas |
6-4 |
9 Off. / 4 Def. |
13. |
Hutchinson Community College, Kan. |
7-4 |
6 Off. / 1 Def. |
14. |
Jones County Community College, Miss. |
7-2 |
5 Off. / 3 Def. |
15. |
Fort Scott Community College, Kan. |
9-2 |
4 Off. / 2 Def. |
16. |
Rochester Community & Tech. College, Minn. |
8-2 |
5 Off. / 4 Def. |
17. |
Lackawanna College, Pa. |
7-3 |
4 Off. / 5 Def. |
18. |
Glendale Community College, Ariz. |
8-2 |
3 Off. / 3 Def. |
19. |
Northwest Mississippi Community College |
6-4 |
8 Off. / 6 Def. |
20. |
Iowa Central Community College |
8-3 |
5 Off. / 5 Def. |
21. |
Mesabi Range Community & Tech. College, Minn. |
6-5 |
3 Off. / 5 Def. |
22. |
Garden City Community College, Kan. |
6-4 |
4 Off. / 5 Def. |
23. |
College of DuPage, Ill. |
6-6 |
2 Off. / 5 Def. |
24. |
Arizona Western College |
5-5 |
8 Off. / 7 Def. |
25. |
Harper College, Ill. |
11-1 |
3 Off. / 3 Def. |
High Caliber Players Return for 2009 Season
The 2009 NJCAA football season could shape up to be one of the best in recent memory as eight top All-Americans from ’08 return to highlight the ’09 preseason All-American teams.
Talented quarterbacks Randal Mackey of No. 6 East Mississippi Community College and Tirrell Rennie of No. 3 Ellsworth Community College highlight the ’09 preseason All-American offensive teams. Mackey led the nation with 281.8 passing yards per game and ranked second with 3,138 passing yards and a 60.3 completion percentage. He also threw for 24 touchdowns and was the MACJC Offensive Player of the Year last season. Rennie led the NJCAA with 3,469 yards of total offense as he racked up 1,011 yards rushing and 2,548 yards passing. He rushed for 16 touchdowns, which tied for first in the country, and threw for 20 touchdowns.
Also returning for Ellsworth is talented wide receiver Quintin Robinson who led the country with 1,102 receiving yards and 10 touchdown receptions last season. His 88 receptions tied an NJCAA record as well.
Other returning offensive All-Americans include wide receiver Gage McKinnis of No. 13 Hutchinson Community College (Kan.), offensive lineman Jernorius McGill of No. 10 Eastern Arizona College and kicker Mike Kusnierz of No. 16 Rochester Community & Technical College (Minn.). McKinnis racked up over 1,000 yards in all-purpose yards and scored three touchdowns for the Blue Dragons. McGill helped EAC to 381.3 team rushing yards per game, which led the NJCAA, while Kusnierz was second in the nation among kickers with 95 points (32-25 PAT, 21 FG Made).
Two returning All-American’s from ’08 headline the ’09 preseason All-American defensive teams in linebacker Curtis Weatherspoon of No. 9 Dean College and defensive back Jakar Hamilton of No. 8 Georgia Military College. Weatherspoon collected 56 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and four sacks in ’08, while Hamilton posted 51 tackles and four interceptions.