By SEAN BOSTONHutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Community College began preparations for the 2026 football season Saturday as the Blue Dragons held their first official practice at Gowans Stadium.
The Blue Dragons have less than three weeks to prepare for their season opener against Cisco College, a much shorter window than they had a year ago.
Head coach Drew Dallas said he was pleased with the pace and effort during the first official practice of the 2026 season.
“Obviously, you’re not going to be executing at the level you want to execute, but a lot of really good positives,” Dallas said. “I think we’ve got the right guys out here to continue to be successful and be competitive throughout the season.”
Dallas enters his seventh season as Hutchinson’s head coach with a 60-6 record and two national championships.
The Blue Dragons finished 11-1 last season, winning the KJCCC championship before falling in the NJCAA national championship game.
Dallas said returning to the field offered an early opportunity to move forward from that loss.
“We coach football and play football because we love to play in the games, and there’s a lot of work in between,” Dallas said. “It’s good to not have as much wait time and hopefully get back on the field and get that bitter taste out of your mouth.”
Hutchinson did not play its first game until Sept. 6 last season. This year, the Blue Dragons will host Cisco at 7 p.m. Aug. 20 at Gowans Stadium.
Dallas said the early opener requires Hutchinson to accelerate its installation and evaluation process.
“We’ve got to speed up the process because we’re playing so early,” Dallas said. “We’ve got two and a half weeks of work. We’ve got to get a lot done each and every practice, and you can’t miss opportunities.”
Cisco is one of a handful of nonconference opponents on Hutchinson’s 11-game schedule. The Blue Dragons will also face Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, Ellsworth, Iowa Western and Iowa Central.
Dallas described Cisco as a physical and well-coached program from Texas.
“They’re gritty, and they’re super competitive,” Dallas said. “We know we’re going to have to be sound in what we’re doing and have to be clean.”
Hutchinson will spend the early portion of camp concentrating primarily on its own development before beginning detailed preparation for Cisco.
The Blue Dragons will travel to Ellsworth on Aug. 29 before opening conference play at home against Garden City on Sept. 12.
Hutchinson will play nine consecutive weeks without a bye to close the regular season. That stretch includes road games against Butler, Highland and Coffeyville and home games against Iowa Western, Independence, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and Dodge City.
The Blue Dragons will end the regular season Nov. 7 at Iowa Central.
“We’ve got 11 games, and we’re going to have a stretch of nine straight weeks of games,” Dallas said. “You’ve got to get up each and every week and can’t ever take an opponent lightly.”
Dallas also begins the season with additional offensive responsibilities and will call plays following changes to the coaching staff. He said having an experienced defensive staff will allow him to spend more time managing the offense without neglecting the overall operation.
“We’ve got a great staff offensively,” Dallas said. “We’ve got some guys that have coordinator experience and bring great ideas. Collectively, we’re trying to put a good game plan together.”
Three new assistants have joined the staff. Former Hutchinson player Tyce Hoover will coach tight ends, Clarence Anderson will coach receivers and Malcolm Askew will oversee the safeties.
Dallas said Anderson and Askew joined the program during spring practice, while Hoover arrived early in the summer.
“They’re three welcomed additions and will do a really good job,” Dallas said. “The rest of the guys are back, and those three popped in and picked up right where we left off.”
Dallas is now the longest-tenured head coach in the KJCCC. During his first six seasons, Hutchinson has won 91% of its games and posted a 23-2 conference record.
Despite the program’s sustained success, Dallas said his focus remains on continuing to improve the Blue Dragons and helping their players develop.
“I love what we’re doing here,” Dallas said. “I love what we’ve got going on. Being able to continue to try to build and elevate the challenge of that has always been fun, and making a difference in these kids’ lives is super beneficial.”