The Dodge City football defense has been stout over the past few years, and now looks to take another step with the addition of Steve McCollom as the Conquistadors' new Defensive Coordinator. 
 
McCollom joins the Conqs coaching staff with great experience in the Jayhawk Conference with previous stops at Garden City and Independence. The Farmington, Michigan native spent the past two seasons as the Defensive Coordinator at Garden City, working with linebackers and overseeing strength and conditioning. Before his time at Garden City, he spent four seasons on the sideline at Independence, where he was Defensive Coordinator, working with linebackers, and served as Special Teams Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator.
 
"It is a pleasure to have an impact on young men's lives. Football is the greatest game on earth. I hope to be a positive role model for my family, the community, and our program. I want to help our young men chase their dream of playing at the highest level. Junior college is special; it's simple, but not easy. It takes a special type of person to make it at a Junior College. The ones that do are rewarded with success for the rest of their lives. I hope to be a positive part of that process and somebody they can look up to, lean on & believe in while they are here. When you watch us play, I hope you say that we play fast, physical, and how the game is supposed to be played," said McCollom on the opportunity to coach and when he hopes to bring to the Conqs coaching staff. 
 
During his two seasons at Garden City, he coached 13 players to All-KJCCC honors while having the second-best scoring defense in the KJCCC in 2025, leading the NJCAA and KJCCC in interceptions and ranking in the Top 10 in sacks and points per game. In 2024, he coached Garden City to the top passing defense in the KJCCC. While at Independence in 2021, his defense was second in points, total yards, and fumble recoveries, while ranking fifth in passing/rushing yards in the NJCAA. The 2022 and 2020-21 seasons also saw Independence as a top defense in the KJCCC. He was part of the coaching staff that helped Independence win a KJCCC title in 2019 and a share of the KJCCC title in 2021.
 
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 served as a student assistant coach on Whitewater's 2011 national championship team, then returned as a player for his senior season in 2012.
 
"Dodge City is a great place to be. There is a lot of history here, and people are hungry for a winner. I'm excited about bringing passion and energy to this football program. I'm a strong believer that you win with people. Dodge City has great people, and I'm excited to get to work," said McCollom.