The energy was obvious from Dennis Gardeck, even through his face mask. The West Virginia State junior linebacker couldn't remember a time since he arrived in Institute that the Yellow Jackets football team was this pumped up to begin a season.
"It's been unbelievable," he said.
WVSU has plenty for which to be hopeful. The Yellow Jackets' 5-6 record included the most wins in a season since State's 7-3 2008 campaign and more wins than the previous three seasons combined. The Yellow Jackets aren't satisfied, nor are they wanting to rest on any laurels.
"We don't have a whole lot to rest on," head coach Jon Anderson said.
Last season could have been State's first winning season since 2008, if not for a couple of last-second losses. An Urbana touchdown with six seconds left broke a tie and handed the Yellow Jackets a 30-23 loss. And in the season finale, West Liberty scored two touchdowns in the last 7:03, including the winning score with 90 seconds left, to stun WVSU, 42-36.
Gardeck said everyone understood the stakes of that game and felt the frustration of coming up just short of a significant milestone.
"I let it hurt for a while," Gardeck said. "I took 24 hours, and then I was ready to go. We've been locked in since winter."
Anderson was just as excited as the rest of his team. He has several key returning players, including Gardeck, a first-team all-Mountain East Conference pick in 2015, and quarterback Matt Kinnick, who led the conference in passing last year. State's depth is such that he won't be relying on newcomers to step into key roles. He also sees the benefit in those new players pushing the veterans to keep their spots. When he looks out on the field now, he sees a new team from top to bottom.
"Even our returners are new guys, because of the strides they've made in the strength program in the offseason. We work to improve daily, but the beginning of every new season is exciting because it's fresh, it's new."
That newness is enough to keep the Yellow Jackets from looking back on the 2015 season with satisfaction. Sure, it was more wins than the team had seen in years, but it was still sub-.500 and still not where State wants to be. Senior receiver Akil Washington said that, for the most part, the past has been put squarely in the past.
"We're over last year," Washington said. "Last year, 5-6, that was OK, but I don't think anyone, especially out here, starts something just to be OK. Last year was cool, but this year, the goal is to go 1-0, every week."
Gardeck admits there's a chip on the players' shoulders after the MEC coaches picked WVSU to finish eighth in the conference in their preseason poll. That, the preseason all-American linebacker said, is more then enough to keep the team looking forward.
"You look back to see how far you've come, then it's back on task," Gardeck said. "It gives you some motivation. We've come this far. How much farther can we go?"