MGCCC Bulldogs #1 in jcgridiron.com pre-season poll
PERKINSTON---According to pollsters around the country, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College begins 2013 as the top dog in the Nation.
This week jcgridiron.com released its pre-season "Dirty 30" rankings, and Gulf Coast is number one. For head coach Steve Campbell, the number ranking has it's pros and cons.
"The voters recognize that we have a chance to have a great season," said Campbell, who's entering his 10th season at Gulf Coast. "It also puts a huge target on you, which gives us extra motivation to work hard during summer workouts."
Gulf Coast kicked off summer workouts with conditioning drills outside and weightlifting inside. Fall practice begins the first week in August leading up to the 2013 season opener Aug. 29 at home against Coahoma.
In 2012 Gulf Coast finished 9-2 and won another MACJC South Division title, the team's sixth since 2005, and reached the MACJC Championship Game for the sixth straight year. However Gulf Coast fell to Co-Lin 41-37 in the MACJC Title Game and finished 2012 ranked No. 6 in the NJCAA. The NJCAA releases its pre-season poll later this month.
"Each year is a new year, and it's exciting to know we've got a lot of players back from a very good football team a year ago," Campbell added. "It all starts with putting in the work and the effort."
While his team glows in the spotlight of a No. 1 ranking, Campbell recently earned Coach of the Year honors from the Mississippi Association of Coaches.
