Haskell will meet MidAmerica Nazarene's junior varsity at 7 tonight in Olathe.
Gary Tanner and Haskell Indian Nations University will break new ground on Monday.
Tanner is head football coach at HINU and the Fightin' Indians are a day away from their debut as a four-year program.
"I think we're ready," Tanner said. "We've been practicing long enough."
The Indians will make the short trip to Olathe to tangle with MidAmerica Nazarene's junior varsity. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Pioneer Stadium on the MANU campus.
Haskell's first four games will be against JV programs as the Indians ease inexorably from junior college to NAIA status.
Tanner will be making the quantum leap with a roster composed of no seniors, five juniors and a whole bunch of freshmen and sophomores.
Offensively, Tanner believes the Indians will make some noise.
"Our skill people are so much more talented than last year," he said.
Last year the Indians' primary offensive threat was speedy wide receiver Sonny Duncan. The 6-foot-3, 185-pounder from Peridot, Ariz., is back for his sophomore season and hasn't lost his explosiveness.
Haskell scrimmaged Highland CC and William Jewell JV during the preseason, and Duncan scored on long bombs in both sessions.
"He just outran everybody," Tanner said, "and we got him the ball."
Putting the ball in Duncan's hands will be either Brandon Watson or Nick Lewis. Neither quarterback has a bazooka arm, but both appear capable of doing more than just handing off.
"Both worked hard in the off season," Tanner said. "They're looking better. I thought one would have stepped up by now. I'd hate to say one is a starter, so I'll probably alternate series with them."
Lewis is a 6-foot-1, 175-pounder from Florence, Ariz.; Watson a 5-11, 180-pounder from Skiatook, Okla. Both are sophomores.
"Our team will follow either one of them," Tanner said.
Tanner has a proven running back in Darron Rhodd, the Indians' leading rusher in 1994 who decided to return to school when HINU went to four-year status. Rhodd gained over 1,000 yards in '94, yet is not assured of starting.
Justin Guinn, a 5-9, 200-pound freshman from Moore, Okla., is pushing Rhodd.
"Guinn is a little spark plug," Tanner said. "He's a very good runner with quick feet, and he's strong. Darron is more of a power runner."
In the past, Tanner has used his fullback mostly as a blocker. That could change with the arrival of Tyee Jones, a 6-1, 195-pound freshman from Maryville, Wash.
"He's been one of our biggest surprises," Tanner said. "He's from Washington state and we didn't know anything about him. He was just a name to us. But now we know he's a very good ball player.
"In our scrimmage against Highland, he broke 50- and 60-yard runs. He's probably as good a runner at fullback as we've ever had."
Jones is also one of two freshmen among the half-dozen team captains. Tight end Wesley Breedlove is the other first-year player tabbed for a captaincy.
Tanner has what he believes are two quality tailbacks in Rhodd and Guinn plus a breakaway threat at fullback in Jones. Tanner would, of course, love to have those ball-carriers operating behind a veteran offensive line, but "
"We don't have one starter back," he said. "They don't have to dominate, though. All they have to do is organize and get in the way."
Meanwhile, Tanner hopes his defense can get in the way of opposing skill players. Defense was not a strength last season when the Indians surrendered nearly 34 points a game.
Four of the five juniors are on defense, including captains nose guard Shannon Ross and linebacker Burgess Navarro. Linebacker Stan Holder is another junior who will start.
Billy Crawford, a 6-5, 225-pound tackle, looms as the best of the freshman defenders. Soph Jeff Young, also a captain, returns in the secondary.
Place-kicker Scott Giroux returns for his soph season, but is being pushed by freshman Erik Holuby.
Haskell's home opener is scheduled a week from Monday night against Baker's junior varsity.
-- Chuck Woodling's phone message number is 832-7147. His e-mail address is cwoodling@ljworld.com.
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