Hagan could be the next great Greyhound running back

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- Fort Scott Community College running back Stanley Hagan enters his third collegiate game this Saturday night against the No. 2-ranked Butler Community College Grizzlies looking for his third consecutive triple-digit rushing total game.

Hagan, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound freshman from Nashville, Tenn., has used a combination of power, speed, and elusiveness to lead the NJCAA in rushing with 420 yards in the season’s first two games. Hagan had 225 yards on 40 carries against Highland in the season’s opener and 195 yards on 24 carries against No. 16-ranked Tyler (Texas).

He scored his first collegiate touchdown (and the Greyhounds' first offensive TD of 2012) on an exciting 94-yard dash against Tyler.

It has been more than 40 years since the first recorded 1,000-yard rusher played in the Maroon and Gray Greyhound uniform; Ulysses Herbert rushed for 1,202 yards in 1968, and many have followed his lead.

Two years after Herbert broke the thousand yards mark Tommy Reamon, who some call the “greatest player that has ever played for Fort Scott”, entered the century yards club. Reamon rushed for over 1,000 yards twice including 1,582 yards for the Greyhound’s undefeated 1970 National Championship team.

Reamon still holds the all-time rushing yardage record for a career at FSCC with 3,527 yards during the 1970 and 1971 seasons.

Second on the all-time list is Jasmin Hopkins, who helped lead the ‘Hounds to the 2009 National Championship Game, with a career rushing total of 3,150 yards during his two years on the campus of FSCC.

Hopkins, who was only 5-7 and 180 pounds, used his gigantic heart and a desire to be the best to pound defenses and then run away from them with his lightning speed. “Jas” was named NJCAA Offensive Player of the Year for his 2009 season of greatness.

Barry Boyd, who played for the ‘Hounds during the 1990 and 1991 seasons is ranked third with 2,604 yards while Michael Cosey ranks fourth on the career list with 2,328 yards during his two campaigns as a Greyhound in the 1992 and 1993 seasons. Curtis Brown rounds out the top five on the all-time rushing list with 2,202 yards. Brown played in the 1973 and 1974 seasons.

Chris Brown, who rushed for 1,284 yards in 2000, left the Fort for the University of Colorado and then enjoyed a seven year NFL playing career; being drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the 2003 NFL draft -- Brown also played for the Houston Texans.

Reamon, Tyrone Walls, and Gerry Ellis also joined Brown in having careers playing running back in the National Football League. Walls and Reamon played professionally in the Canadian Football League as well, and Reamon was Tri-MVP of the short-lived World Football League in 1974.

Second-year Greyhound head coach Curtis Horton is no stranger to coaching 1,000-yard rushers. During his four seasons as Greyhound offensive coordinator he coached 1,000-yard rushers three times -- twice with Hopkins and once with Rodney Lovett in 2007, who rushed for 1,340 yards.

During his first season as head coach, Horton coached his fourth ‘Hound running back who posted a four-figure russhing total when Martese Jackson finished the 2011 season with 1,091 yards. Jackson is now the starting tailback for Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. Jackson rushed for 99 yards in the Owls season opening victory against Wagner College.

With Hagan on pace to become the latest FSCC player to enter the 1,000 rushing yard club, he would mark at least the 16th Greyhound player to achieve this mark and the sixth in the last 12 years*.

*Note: Stats were lost for the mid-1980s and the late 1990s. Complete team stats were kept more accurately once the NJCAA started having teams send stats to the organization beginning in 2000.