Vista Online

Fall/Winter 2001

Tackling Victory

Greenville Panther Football

There were flurries in the air on November 18, 2000, as fans began to fill the arena. Shining down on the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Fawcett Stadium, the muted sunlight glinted off the edges of the massive, metallic structure. It was an imposing football fortress in the middle of Canton, Ohio. However, the fans boiling within the building were not there to gaze at the architecture. As they grew rowdy with the weight of their excitement, they focused only on the lush green field. The game was about to begin.

The Greenville Panthers swarmed the field, their orange and black uniforms striking against the backdrop of deep green. They yelled, they jumped—they were a sight to make any fan proud. Rushing onto the field, the 60-plus players charged full speed into the heart of the Victory Bowl. They were about to face off against one of the best teams in the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCAA). Until this season, the Greenville College Panther football team was the quintessential underdog.

They had not experienced a winning season in seven years. They had won only two conference championships in the last ten years. And they had certainly never darkened the doors of the Football Hall of Fame. The football program looked so grim that when Head Coach Rob Harley was hired in 1998, he was given an ultimatum: get the Panthers back on their feet, or Greenville College drops the football program.

It was not easy. First, the team had to get used to a new system of coaching. Coach Harley had to get used to a whole new team. He brought in new plays to liven up the game and put all of the players on a workout regimen that kept them active throughout the spring and summer. When the football season began, the players daily invested two hours after class in an intense practice program designed to keep them at their physical peak. It took great effort to regroup and rebuild the football program. But it took more than merely physical elements.

Harley attributes the bulk of the program’s improvement to prayer. “We prayed an awful lot, for the program, for the players, for the coaches, for wisdom, for direction,” said Harley. “In all honesty, prayer was the number one factor in the growth of the football team.” Slowly but surely, the benefits of this new program began to make themselves known. After two years, the Panthers were the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference co-champions, had three All-American team selections, and ended the season with a 5-5 record.

As the 2000 season began, the football team was bursting with potential. With only four returning seniors, the predominately young team was more than ready to face the challenges presented them by their difficult schedule. Harley and the players set their goals high. They wanted a winning season, they wanted conference championships, and most of all, they wanted victory—the Victory Bowl. The Panthers started the season off with a bang: a 32-14 win over Maranatha Baptist. The next week, they shut out Westminster College, 28-0.

Much of their success was due to their explosive offense. Led by junior quarterback Kyle Krober, this season’s offense passed for over 3,000 yards and rushed for over 1,000 yards. With special help from returning All-Americans Bryan Meier, Darryl De Shields, and Elliot Turner, the team increased their offensive punch.

As the season wore on, the Panthers experienced the highs and lows of becoming an emerging force. There were losses, but every game was well fought. There were wins, and lessons learned along the way. One special victory was the Homecoming game against Concordia. The Panthers dominated the game and came out victorious with a stunning 63-7 win. As the season drew to a close, the Panthers had much to be proud of. First of all, with six wins and four losses, they had achieved the first winning season for Greenville football in seven years. Star player Shontez Jones was featured on ESPN’s Hidden Videos for his remarkable ability to turn extra point kicks into touchdowns. The Panthers were ranked fifth among the NCCAA schools, and were chosen to play at the Football Hall of Fame for the NCCAA’s Victory Bowl.

The Victory Bowl game was against Northwestern College, Minneapolis, and the Panthers controlled the opening of the game. By the end of the first quarter they were ahead by 13 points. However, Northwestern rallied, fighting back and scoring more and more goals. The Panthers put up an admirable fight, but when the game was over, they had lost 35-27. Still, it was an experience that the team considered a positive one. Harley described it as “a tremendous experience, a blessing.” The mere opportunity to be a part of that competition proved a great success. They had gone to the Hall of Fame. They were recognized for their fighting spirit. They had spent an autumn afternoon playing a game they loved. It was still a victory. They had bought the day with sweat and hard work, strategy, and understanding.

That is something all of the Panthers will be able to look back on with pride.

Lindsey Row
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Last updated: July 9, 2001