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After another season filled with high-profile games and even higher-profile victories, the 2023 football season has once again been stellar.
League champion and NJCAA No. 1-ranked Hutchinson nearly had a complete sweep of the 2023 All-KJCCC Postseason major awards.
Hutchinson defensive end Daniel Brown, the nation's leader in quarterback sacks, was named the 2023 KJCCC Defensive Player of the Year and Blue Dragon head coach Drew Dallas as named Coach of the Year.
The 2023 KJCCC Offensive Player of the Year was split by Hutchinson quarterback Samari Collier and Highland receiver Benson Prosper.
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
SAMARI COLLIER, Hutchinson – A 6-foot-3, 220-point sophomore from DeSoto, Texas, Collier was a true two-way threat at quarterback for the Blue Dragons this season.
Collier combined for 1,727 total yards and accounted for 19 touchdowns for the Blue Dragons this season. Collier completed 77 of 135 passes (57.0 percent) for 1,253 yards with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. Collier averaged 5.3 yards per rush, going for 474 yards on 90 carries with six touchdowns.
Collier had two games with 100-plus yards both rushing and passing. He had 176 passing yards and 107 rushing yards against No. 5 Iowa Central and 136 passing yards and 103 rushing yards against No. 9 Butler.
Collier threw for a season-highs of 236 yards and four touchdowns in a league championship-clinching victory at Independence.
BENSON PROSPER, Highland – A 5-11, 192-pound freshman from Miami, Florida, Prosper was among the national leaders in receptions, receiving yards and receiving yards per game.
Prosper was third in the NJCAA with 55 receptions in 11 games. His 864 receiving yards were fourth in the NJCAA and his 78.5 receiving yards per game was fifth in the nation. Prosper had four receiving touchdowns this season.
Prosper had three games of 100 or more receiving yards, including a career-high 233 yards on eight catches with a touchdown in a 32-0 victory over Ellsworth.
He had eight receptions in games against Butler, Dodge City, Ellsworth and Independence.
Prosper's 864 receiving yards were third-most in Scotties' single-season history. The 233 yards against Ellsworth were fifth-most in Highland single-game history.
DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
DANIEL BROWN, Hutchinson – A 6-2, 240-pound defensive end from Kansas City, Kansas, Brown has had one of the most dominant seasons in Blue Dragon and KJCCC history.
For the season, Brown accounted for 49 total tackles, 22.5 tackles going for loss.
His 17.5 quarterback sacks, accounting for 136 yards in losses, leads the nation and is second most in Blue Dragon single-season history. He has had at least one quarterback sack in nine consecutive games.
Brown had back-to-back season-high three sacks against both Dodge City and Garden City. Brown also has 11 quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and fumble recovery.
Against No. 2 Iowa Wester, Brown had six tackles and two sacks, which included a sack-fumble that was the turnaround play of the game with the Dragons at that point trailing the Reivers 21-7.
COACH OF THE YEAR
DREW DALLAS, Hutchinson – The fourth-year Blue Dragon head coach won the Jayhawk Conference Coach of the Year award for the third time.
Dallas and the Blue Dragons ran the table in the KJCCC for the second-straight season and have won 14-striaght league-designated games and 18 games in a row against league foes including postseason matchups.
Hutchinson took over the No. 1 spot in the NJCAA Rankings after Week 1 and have reeled off 10-straight victories, including wins over five nationally ranked opponents.
The Blue Dragons led the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 10.2 points per game and was No. 2 in the NJCAA in scoring offense at 40.4 points per contest. The Dragons were also No. 1 in rushing defense at 54.9 yards per game.
The 2023 Blue Dragons had 27 all-conference performers this season, including 14 first-team selections.