MIAA Preview: Tigers return 20 starters

JON DYKSTRA/THE FORUM
Fort Hays State quarterback Jack Dawson delivers a pass on Sept. 16, 2023, against Northwest Missouri State in Hays, Kan.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The trend had not been good the last five years at Fort Hays State. After 11 wins in 2017, the Tigers won nine, then eight, then five, then three in 2022.

Chris Brown’s squad needed a season to regain momentum and build off of. The 2023 season provided just that with seven wins including a signature 17-6 victory over Northwest Missouri State in Week 3 which catapulted the Tigers into winning six of seven games in the middle portion of the schedule.

Now, the Tigers return an MIAA-high 20 starters and appear poised to take another leap forward in 2024 and get back to the point where they are contending for MIAA championships and playoff bids.

“They are just a great group of young men who do everything right and have great character,” Brown said. “… They were not satisfied, they wanted to get Fort Hays State back to the top.”

The face of the program’s resurgence has been junior quarterback Jack Dawson. Dawson got thrown into the fire two season’s ago with Chance Fuller suffering a season-ending injury.

Last season, Fort Hays State’s success coincided with Dawson elevating his play. As a sophomore he completed 238-of-368 passes for 2,832 yards, 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

“His growth as a young man in just one year’s time is tremendous,” Brown said. “He had a tremendous spring, made some reads that he hadn’t made in years before, made some throws that he hadn’t made in years past. Just his growth and maturity as a young man and also as a captain and leader of this team has improved tremendously. He is just a young man who grinds every day.

“… The kid just works. It is nonstop every day.”

Dawson says the group takes pride in being at the ground floor of that resurgence.

“When I first got here, we were 3-8,” Dawson said. “We go 7-4 last year and we are trying to build on that with a older group of guys and the same group that started out 3-8, so it is kinda cool to see how we evolve and how we get better.”

Dawson is surrounded by weapons and surrounded by Watts brothers. Senior running back Shane Watts led the Tiger rushing attack with 676 yards and five touchdowns.

Senior Trevor Watts developed into Dawson’s favorite target at receiver with 77 catches for 885 yards and three touchdowns.

The Tigers return their secondary playmakers around the Watts brothers with receiver Jayden Horace and tight end Cale Cormaney back in their starting spots. Horace had 579 yards and a team-leading 11 touchdowns while Cormaney had 372 yards and two scores.

The offensive line is built around Josh Shaw, Dawson Reynolds and Kofi Karikari.

“With any type of football team, it is in the trenches, it is O-line, it is D-line,” Dawson said. “It is the guys who don’t really get the stats or glory. … I wouldn’t be able to make a throw, we wouldn’t be able to run an RPO or things like that if they don’t do their job. A big (reason) for us from going 3-8 to 7-4 is definitely the trenches and the offensive line.”

On the defensive side of the ball, Myles Menges is among the most experienced players in the league after being an honorable mention All-MIAA linebacker as a freshman, transitioning to a Third Team All-MIAA selection as a sophomore and Second Team All-MIAA selection last season.

“He is just a guy who has come in and taken that true ownership of our defense,” Brown said.

Menges finished with 10.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks last season. Parrish Terry had 10 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks next to Menges.

“The experience we have on the defensive side of the ball is amazing and you can’t take that for granted,” Menges said.

At linebacker, senior John Johnson is one of the MIAA’s best with 89 tackles and two interceptions last season. The First Team All-MIAA selection is joined by another stalwart of the league with Makel Williams next to him as Williams had 75 tackles and three interceptions last season.

The secondary is led by senior safety Mason Perez whose 55 tackles last year earned him Second Team All-MIAA status. Sam Brandt had 56 tackles next to Perez at the other safety spot.

At corner, Kobe Rome and Travion Mitchell give the team two reliable bookends. Rome was Second Team All-MIAA last season and Mitchell was honorable mention.

The Tigers test themselves right out of the gate with Lone Star Conference powerhouse Angelo State visiting Hays on Aug. 29.

“It is just fun to be around them,” Brown said of his team. “They are a joy to be around. They have fun, they enjoy football, they enjoy their teammates, they enjoy going to workouts and they love the grind. I think it is that grind and that love of their teammates and the game of football that is going to help us take that next step to hopefully win the conference and get back into the playoffs.”