Been there, done that

Jamar Mozee and Scorpio Horn are two of the legendary names from Eastern Jackson County football, as both starred for Blue Springs High School in the late 1990s.
Richard Smith’s name might be quite as colorful, or recognizable as Mozee and Horn, unless you happen to be a fan of the University of Arkansas, where he was a standout in both football and track.
Smith was also a member of three state football championships at Evangel Christian Academy, just outside of Shreveport, La.
Today, they are members of coach Mark Simcox’s William Chrisman High School football staff, and they are having the time of their lives.
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” said Mozee, who rushed for 1,850 yards and 34 touchdowns his senior year at Blue Springs, before signing with the University of Oklahoma. “Coach Simcox was at Blue Springs when I was there, so I’ve known him for a long time. But it was actually coach (former Bears head coach and Blue Springs assistant Mike) Spotts who asked me to be a part of the staff.
“He was my running back coach at Blue Springs, and I have so much respect for him,” added Mozee, who now imparts his wisdom to Chrisman’s running backs. “I knew that the William Chrisman football program had gone through some tough times, but I think it’s headed in the right direction now.”
Both Horn and Smith agree.
The Bears are 4-4 and own huge victories over longtime rivals Oak Park (10-7), Truman (33-14) and last Friday Chrisman overcame a 21-7 halftime deficit to edge North Kansas City 28-21 in the opening round of district play. The Bears meet second-ranked Fort Osage in a Class 5 District 10 showdown tonight at Independence All-School Stadium.
“I moved to Kansas City when I was a member of the Kansas City Chiefs,” said Smith, who was a part of the Chiefs practice squad, and later played a handful of games for the NFL team. “I liked the area, and bought a house in the Chrisman school district. I saw all the kids in the neighborhood, but didn’t know much about the football program.
“I’ve been on the staff three years, and the way the teams have improved each year is a real testimony to the kids and Coach Simcox and his staff,” added Smith, who coaches the receivers and kick returners. “This is a hard-working staff – and when you win a few games, the kids begin to buy into it.”
That’s something Simcox has noticed the past few weeks, especially after the back-to-back wins over Truman and North Kansas City.
“I know a lot of area coaches would say this, but I think I have the best staff in the state,” said Simcox, the head coach who was an assistant to Spotts last season. “They know football and they get the kids ready to play.
“That past two weeks, we’ve won a couple of pretty big games, and this is a program that hasn’t had much success in football. So the coaches make sure the kids are focused and working hard – and you can notice a little extra enthusiasm on the practice field and see a few more letter jackets in the hallways.”
That was a familiar scene for Horn when he starred on the defensive line for Blue Springs.
“We had a great program, great players and great coaches,” said Horn, a Missouri Western State University graduate whose younger brother Willie is playing at Northwest Missouri State University and whose older brother, Joe, was a Pro Bowl wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints and started his pro career with the Chiefs.
“The kids at Chrisman are finally realizing that you win games on Friday night because of what you do in the summer and at practice,” added Horn, who coaches the Bears defensive line. “They’re buying into the program and working harder than I’ve ever seen them work. There’s a reason we’ve won four games this season – the kids believe they can do it, and they go out and do it.”
Simcox just chuckles when asked if he’s ever been tempted to put jerseys on his three assistants who were former standouts on the gridiron.
“You bet,” the coach said. “They look like they can go out and still play, and you should see how the kids pay attention when they talk. They’ve been there – they’ve played the game at a high level and the kids know all about that.
“We’re a work in progress, but I like the way things are going. We’ve had some success and now, we have to make sure the kids know how to handle that success. And with coaches like I’ve got on my staff, I don’t ever see that being a problem.
“These three young men are not only great, great coaches – they are incredible human beings and teachers. We’re all so lucky to have them as a part of this program.”