Decade of Excellence: No. 8 MGCCC has been in Top 20 for 10 years
PERKINSTON – Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College passed a major milestone Tuesday when the new NJCAA football poll came out.
The Bulldogs (4-1, 3-0 MACJC South) were ranked eighth, meaning they've appeared in the Top 20 continuously for a decade, one of only two teams with a similar active streak. Gulf Coast broke into the poll on Sept. 27, 2005 and has been there ever since.
"It's been a big run and hopefully we can continue that streak of doing the things we're supposed to do to win a football game," coach Chad Huff said. "It's about focusing on the now and not looking too far into the future."
Huff was Gulf Coast offensive coordinator for 10 years before taking over in 2014 after Steve Campbell left for Central Arkansas.
During this run, Gulf Coast has gone 91-21 (.812). The Bulldogs have been ranked for 133 straight weeks. They've been in the Top 10 in 109 of those polls, the Top 5 in 47 polls and spent eight weeks at the top, including winning the 2007 national championship.
Gulf Coast and Butler (Kansas) are the only two teams to be ranked in the Top 20 that entire stretch.
"We've had a lot of good players, but those good players with talent have been guys who have played with a lot of effort, been disciplined and done the things we've asked them to do," Huff said. "It's a group effort, a team effort, from the offseason to the summer into the season. There's 365 days out of the year. It's not just these 10 weeks of the season."
Gulf Coast won the 1986 MACJC state championship before entering a rough stretch. There were only two winning seasons in 17 years before Campbell arrived in 2004.
"The program was obviously a little down. It had been since 1999 since they had a winning record," Huff said. "There were a lot of things we had to instill into the kids, the mindset, the program, the things to be successful."
Recruiting has been an important part of the efforts. The talent has been plentiful, with 36 players active on rosters at four-year schools right now and four active on NFL rosters.
Defensive tackle John Jenkins is playing for the New Orleans Saints along with safety Don Jones. Defensive lineman Tom Johnson is a key contributor for the Minnesota Vikings, and cornerback Tramaine Brock is a starter for the San Francisco 49ers.
Vancleave's Chris White, a Gulf Coast alum, won a Super Bowl ring with the New England Patriots last year. He came into training camp this year injured and did not make the team.
Huff said the coaches have tried for focus the players on three things over the years: going to work, staying humble and striving to continuously improve.
"It's not complicated. It's being unselfish, doing the little things right and getting better every day," he said. "The kids have bought into it. We've had a lot of kids come through here that have followed the plan."
