With heavy eyes and tight legs, junior Quan Hampton drags himself to the multi purpose building mentally preparing for the workout ahead. The morning starts at 9 a.m. There’s the clinging and clanging of iron bars in the weight room while there’s a whistle blowing on the field igniting the play. Two-a-days have started for the football players. Many returning for another season and some just beginning their high school football career.

“It’s been going pretty nice,” Hampton said. “Everything is starting to come together such as the organization and the players knowing what they’re supposed to do at the right time.”

The team is together until 8 p.m. These workouts are a vital look into how the season will go. From lifting weights to taking on the Texas heat in full pads for each rehearsing play, the team’s chemistry and strength is built during this time together. As a whole the Tigers are out to win 10 district games and then reset their goals for playoffs.

“I think our biggest strength is our team chemistry,” senior Matt Davis said. “Our seniors work really well together trying to achieve a common goal. It’s quite a bit better than past years.”

Play after play is run and films are watched, tuning their mental and physical abilities. But on the field and in the pads is where things shift; It’s all or nothing for this team.

“On the field, our biggest strength is our defense mostly because of starters returning from last year,” Hampton said. “We are having to rebuild our offense.”

The Tigers adjust as the freshmen players learn the ropes of high school football. So long are the days with matted dummies that they charged; now it’s one on one with a player who’s bigger and starving for a collision. They’ve entered into a more fast-paced environment and mature atmosphere of the game.

“The biggest adjustment I’m having to make is learning all the plays and schemes,” freshman Coltin Clack said. “They’re a lot more complex.”

Overall, the confidence and expectations are high for this season.

“As a team, our confidence is high, and we’re going to prove ourselves,” Davis said.