Dodge City Community College Men's Football

3rd Year as Head Football Coach  Hometown: Lucas, Texas   College: Texas A&M University-Commerce  Ryan Lusby is in his third season as head coach at Dodge City for the football team taking over in June of 2024. He is the 24th Head Football coach in school history.  The 2024 season was year one under Coach Lusby as he inherited a team coming off a winning season but took over just two months before the start of the season and led the team to a 6-4 record and #15 ranking nationally at the end of the season. The Conquistadors finished fourth in the KJCCC after being picked to finish seventh in the preseason poll. With a winning record in his first season he is only the sixth coach in school history to open his coaching career at Dodge City to record a winning record in year one; he also is one of only nine coaches in school history to win their coaching debut as Conqs beat Tyler 20-17. Year two was a tough season as the Conqs finished just 1-9 under the guidance of Coach Lusby.  Under Lusby, 18 Conqs have earned All-Conference KJCCC honors in two seasons, while the Conquistadors also had an NJCAA All-American in Sam Brooks (safety) for the 2024 season. Lusby came to Dodge City after serving as the Offensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach at the University of Texas-Permian Basin during the 2023 season. Helped the team to a 10-2 record overall and 8-0 in Lone Star Conference play winning the conference for the first in program history. The season was the first winning season in program history as he led the Falcon’s offense to lead the LSC in scoring at 42.4 points per game and total offense with 475.8 yards per game. The team ranked eighth in the NCAA Division II in scoring and sixth in total offense. He coached a quarterback who earned LSC Offensive Player of the Year and a wide receiver who was selected as LSC Wide Receiver of the Year. He coached 11 LSC All-Conference honorees on offense along with a NCAA DII honorable mention All-American.  Before UTPB, Lusby served as the Offensive Coordinator at the University of Arkansas-Monticello where he coached a three-time NCAA DII All-American, a conference Freshman of the Year, and seven All-conference honorees. He steadily improved the offensive scoring average over three seasons and averaged 360+ yards of total offense per game in each season. Prior to making his way to Monticello, he worked as the Offensive Coordinator at Coffeyville Community College for one season where he mentored seven All-KJCCC conference honorees.  He started his coaching career at his alma mater the Texas A&M University-Commerce where he coached wide receivers for two seasons. He had four All-Conference wideouts at Commerce, including a two-time LSC Wide Receiver of the Year while helping the program win the Lone Star Conference in 2014. During his time at TAMUC, the Lions were 16-8 and led the nation in points per game at 54.1 in 2014, while he also coached three 1,000-yard receivers during his coaching stint at TAMUC. After his time at Commerce, he served as Quarterbacks coach and Recruiting Coordinator at Henderson State University from 2015-17. During his time with Reddies, the team was 25-10, while they made an NCAA DII Sweet 16 appearance in 2015 and won a Great American Conference championship. He coached three All-Conference selections at Henderson State.  His playing career saw him at quarterback a position that he led his high school – Lovejoy to a state semifinalist finish and he would go on to play in college at Texas A&M University-Commerce.  Lusby earned his bachelor’s in education and his master’s degree in educational administration both from Texas A&M University-Commerce.  He has two sons, Peyton, and Drew.

Gibson is in his second year on the Dodge City staff as defensive line coach after spending two seasons at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. In Gibson's second season coaching Northwestern, defensive line player Joby Saint Fleur earned All-GAC Honorable Mention. Northwestern marks the fifth stop in a 10-year coaching career for Gibson. Its also a return to the college ranks, after a year at Central Gwinett High School in Georgia. He was a student assistant at Newberry College in 2006, earning a bachelors degree in Sports Management. After a one-year stopover in 2007 at Adrian College (Mich.), Gibson returned to Newberry in 2008 for another four-year run coaching defensive backs. From 2008 to 2011, Gibson helped build the Wolves into one of Division IIs top secondaries. The 2009 Newberry defense ranked fifth nationally, limiting opponents to 134.9 passing yards per game. Four of Gibsons charges earned all-conference honors, including current Kansas City Chief Ron Parker - who led the South Atlantic Conference in interceptions and fumble recoveries in 2010, while racking up 59 tackles. He led the team in 2009 in tackles (83) and paced the team and conference in interceptions and passes defensed. Also under Gibsons leadership included Kamaal Mcllwain, a third-year pro who has logged NFL training camp time with a handful of different clubs. In 2011, Gibson moved on to Siena University in Michigan, where he coached the running backs. Gibsons versatility as a coach is rooted in his versatility as a player. He played five different positions for Newberry from 2003 to 2005. The Seneca, S.C. native started his collegiate career at Jones County (Miss.) Community College before transferring to Dodge City (Kan.) Community College. Gibson was a four-year starter at Seneca High School, capping his prep career with a monster senior season that saw him rush for 1,657 yards and 15 touchdowns. He was rated as the 39th best recruit out of South Carolina in 1997, playing under legendary head coach Tom Bass.

1st Year as Assistant Football Coach – Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach    Hometown: Farmington, Michigan College(s): University of Wisconsin-Whitewater   Steve McCollom enters his first season on the coaching staff for Dodge City football, serving as Defensive Coordinator and linebackers coach. He joined the coaching staff following the 2025 season in November.     McCollom with six years of experience in the Jayhawk Conference, serving as the Defensive Coordinator the past two years at Garden City Community College, and before that spent four seasons at Independence Community College serving primarily as the Defensive Coordinator.    During his two seasons at Garden City, he helped the Broncbusters have a top defense in the KJCCC. He served as Associate Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator, working with linebackers, while also overseeing strength and conditioning. In 2025, he guided Garden City to have the second-best scoring defense in the KJCCC at 19.2 points per game, while leading the KJCCC in interceptions and defensive touchdowns, and leading the NJCAA in interceptions and ranking ninth in sacks and ppg. During the 2024 season, Garden City had the top passing defense in the KJCCC (161.8 YPG) and led the conference in fumble recoveries. During his two seasons in Garden City, he had 13 players on the defense earn All-KJCCC honors.    While coaching at Independence CC as the Defensive Coordinator in 2021, his defense was #2 in points against, total yards, fumble recoveries, and #5 in passing/rushing yards in the NJCAA. In 2022, they were #1 in total yards, #2 in pass defense, and #3 in points against the KJCCC. In 2020 (Covid Spring 2021), they were #1 in fumble recoveries, defensive touchdowns, and #2 in sacks in the KJCCC. Independence CC won a share of the KJCCC in 2021 & in 2019 won a KJCCC championship.    Before coming to the KJCCC, McCollom was at the Division-I level with stops at The University at Buffalo and The University of Toledo. In 2018, he won a MAC East championship at Buffalo. In 2017, he won a MAC Championship at the University of Toledo and the Boca Raton Bowl Game Championship in 2015. He also spent time at Glenville State College and Wayne State University, working primarily with defensive backs during both stops.    As a player, he won Back-to-Back NCAA DIII National Championships at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, while also winning one as a student assistant coach. He played safety and back-up quarterback on Division III national championship teams in 2009 and 2010. He had an interception, fumble recovery and forced fumble in the 2010 national championship game. He served as a student assistant coach on Whitewater’s 2011 national championship team, then returned as a player for his senior season in 2012.   McCollom is married to his wife Kristen, and they have three children (Case, Charlotte, and Jackson). He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in interpersonal communications.   

2nd Year as Assistant Football Coach – Offensive Line Coach    Hometown: Morrilton, Arkansas College(s): University of Arkansas at Monticello   Dallas Pruitt enters his second season on the coaching staff for Dodge City football serving as an assistant coach overseeing the offensive line.  In his first season on the coaching staff at Dodge City the program posted a 1-9 record, while he coaching the offensive line having a pair of his lineman earn honorable mention All-KJCCC honors, while Conquistador runningback earned second team All-KJCCC honors as his offensive line group helped runningback rank third in KJCCC in rush yards.    Pruitt comes to Dodge City from the University of Arkansas at Monticello where he spent the past three years on the coaching staff serving as the offensive line coach while also working as recruiting coordinator and director of football operations. From 2020-2022, Pruitt served as a graduate assistant working with tight ends at Arkansas-Monticello.    Before joining the coaching staff, Pruitt spent three seasons on the offensive line (2017-2019) for Arkansas-Monticello. Pruitt played for Dodge City Head Coach, Ryan Lusby during his two seasons on the roster for the Weevils and worked with Coach Lusby on the Arkansas-Monticello staff from 2020-2022.    The Morrilton, Arkansas native graduated from UAM in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree and in 2022 with a master’s degree. He is married to his wife, Maddie.  

1st Year as Assistant Football Coach – Defensive Backs Coach    Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri College(s): Briar Cliff University   Caleb Young enters his first season on the coaching staff for Dodge City football, serving as an assistant coach overseeing the defensive backs he joined the staff in January of 2026.    Young comes to Dodge City with multiple years of coaching experience at the NJCAA level, including stops at Highland, Iowa Central, and Garden City. He came to Dodge City after spending the 2025 season as the Defensive Coordinator at Highland, where he had four KJCCC all-conference honorees, including one NJCAA All-American.    From 2021-2024, Young was the defensive backs coach at Iowa Central, helping the Tritons win four bowls games. In 2021, he helped the Tritons rank second in the NJCAA with 19 interceptions and rank eighth in scoring (17.3 points per game), as the team posted a 9-2 record and won the Graphic Edge Bowl. In 2023 the Triton defense was Top 10 in the nation in interceptions as the team was 7-4 in both 2023 and 2022 winning the Game One Bowl each season, along with the 2024 season.    Young’s first stint in the KJCCC came at Garden City from 2015 to 2021, where he was part of an NJCAA national championship and six winning seasons. In 2016, he was on staff with the Broncbusters when they went 11-0 and captured the NJCAA National Championship. He helped coach a defense that was #1 in scoring (9.1) and fifth in interceptions (22). In 2008, he helped the Broncbusters have a Top 10 scoring defense on the way to a 10-1 record and NJCAA National runner-up finish, while he was also part of the 2021 team that won the Scooters Coffee Bowl.    The St. Louis native started his coaching career at MacMurray College, where he served as the defensive backs coach from 2012 to 2015.     He played six years of professional football, competing in the Championship Professional Indoor League, including spending two seasons in Dodge City competing with the Dodge City Law (2016-17).    In college, he played for Briar Cliff University and was a three-year starter (2008-2011), finishing fourth in school history in career interceptions (7). He also owns two of the Top 10 longest interception returns in school history. He was a multi-sport athlete, also competing in track and field.   

1st Year as Assistant Football Coach – Defensive Line Coach    Hometown: Boynton Beach, Florida College(s): Jackson State University   Jason Mercier enters his first season on the coaching staff for Dodge City football, serving as an assistant coach overseeing the defensive line he joined the staff in January of 2026.    Mercier made his way to Dodge City after serving as a graduate assistant coach at Northeastern State University, working with outside linebackers and defensive ends during the 2025 season. He was part of a defensive staff that helped the team go from giving up 35.7 points per game in 2024 to 18.5 ppg in 2025. The Northeastern defense set a program record with 22 interceptions while improving in other ways as team went 9-3, winning its first postseason win since 1999 and recording the most wins since 2010.    Coaching career started for Mercier at the high school level at Palm Beach Central High School in Florida from 2022 to 2024, helping the program win multiple district and regional titles.    The Florida native played at the NCAA Division I before getting into coaching, suiting up for Florida International University (FIU) from 2018 to 2021, and then finished his college career at Jackson State in 2022 under Coach Deion Sanders. Playing on the defensive line, he capped his college career with 21 tackles in the 2022 season, helping Jackson State go 12-1, win a Southwestern Athletic Conference championship, and play in the Celebration Bowl. Prior to his season with Jackson State, he played four seasons for the FIU Panthers, amassing 87 tackles, three sacks, eight tackles for loss, and a fumble recovery. His freshman season (2018) saw him earn Conference USA All-Freshman team honors after recording 31 tackles that season. He was part of multiple bowl teams during his time at FIU, including the Camellia Bowl in 2019 and the Bahamas Bowl in 2018, as he played for Coach Butch Davis.    He earned his bachelor’s degree in multi-/Interdisciplinary studies from Jackson State University. 

1st Year as Assistant Football Coach – Wide Receivers Coach   Hometown: Long Valley, New Jersey  College(s): University of Connecticut    T.J. Vernieri enters his first season on the coaching staff for Dodge City football, serving as an assistant coach overseeing the wide receivers. He joined the staff in June of 2026.  Vernieri comes to Dodge City after most recently coaching for the Memphis Showboats in the United Football League (UFL) where he served as tight ends and wide receivers coach from January 2024 to December 2025. He was also an Offense Quality Control coach and served as interim offensive player caller for a period. He coached tight end Sage Surratt, who went on to sign with the Arizona Cardinals.  Prior to his time in the UFL, Vernieri was on the sidelines as wide receivers coach at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania for the 2023 season, where he coached wide receiver Ke’John Batiste to All-PSAC honors. His coaching career includes stops in the United States Football League (USFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). In the USFL, he worked with the New Orleans Breakers as a tight ends coach and offensive quality control during the 2023 USFL season, while in the CFL, he worked for the Calgary Stampeders from June 2021 to December 2022, holding multiple titles including offensive assistant, runningbacks coach, and Global Draft Coordinator. In his lone season with the Breakers, the team finished 7-3, taking second in the South Division and qualifying for the USFL playoffs. During his tenure with the Stampeders, he coached two-time CFL All-Star runningback, Ka’Deem Carey, who ranked top five in several stat categories in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. The Stampeders went 12-6 during the 2022 season and 8-6 in 2021.  The New Jersey native started his coaching career as a student assistant at the University of Connecticut for the 2018 season, before moving on to Lycoming College in Pennsylvania, where he worked from January 2019 to June 2021 as the wide receivers coach. During his coaching career in 2023, he was selected to the American Football Coaches Association 35 under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute. Before wrapping up his education at UCONN, serving as a student assistant coach, Vernieri walked on at UCONN and played wide receiver for the Huskies from 2016-18, playing under Head Coaches Bob Diaco and Randy Edsall. He earned a scholarship during his time as a Husky, while also being named to the American Athletic Conference All-Academic team multiple times.  Vernieri earned his Bachelor of Science in Business from UCONN in December of 2018.