A number of players from the 5-5 team of a year ago return to the football field this season for the Greene County Rams including senior inside linebacker Joe Doran. Football has played an important role in the lives of several of Joe’s relatives including three former Doran’s who played the sport at Iowa State University. The late Jim Doran, Joe’s grandfather, was an All-American at ISU and later played in the National Football League for a decade, including being on NFL Championship teams with the Detroit Lions in the 1950’s. Joe’s father, also named Jim, and an uncle, Lant, were Cyclone football players in the late 1980’s, and both were on Paton-Churdan High School State Championship football teams.

Joe was an all-district selection for Greene County as a junior and he told Raccoon Valley Radio some of the things he likes about playing middle linebacker. “You’re always involved in the play. If it’s a pass play, you’re dropping into coverage. If it’s a running play, you’re going to try and get there whether the ball is run up the middle, to your right or to your left.”

The Rams host Panorama (Panora) in an exhibition scrimmage on Aug. 22 at 7 p.m. at Linduska Field in Jefferson. The regular season opens on Aug. 29 at Linduska Field at 7 p.m. vs. non-district opponent South Central Calhoun.