MEMPHIS, Tenn — The Collierville High School football team is heading into the upcoming season hungry and motivated.
After a first-round exit in last year's playoffs, coach Joe Rocconi and quarterback Aiden Glover said this year's team is different.
"This year's team is trying to put their own spin on it," said Joe Rocconi, CHS Head Football Coach.
"I think that is the biggest thing: a different mentality,” said Aiden Glover, the Dragons starting QB who committed to Missouri over the summer. "Last year I think we were a little entitled. Felt like things should have been given to us. This year, I feel like we have gotten a lot more gritty and willing to work."
Coach Rocconi said his senior team leadership has been pivotal when it comes to getting this squad motivated.
Senior quarterback, Glover, is clearly an influential player. When ABC24 went to their practice this week, he was instructing the younger players during drills and letting them know when they messed up.
Glover transferred to CHS from Memphis University School following his sophomore year. He became the starting QB for Collierville his junior year and never looked back.
According to MaxPreps, he threw for over 1400 yards, completed twenty-one passing touchdowns and led the team in rushing yards pregame in 2022.
His outstanding season got the attention of many college programs, including the University of Memphis, Northwestern University and the University of Missouri.
Despite being one of the best QBs in his class Glover still feels like he has unfinished business.
"I mean, I still have a lot of things to do here. I still have to win here," said Glover.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Dragons' leading tackler in 2022 and captain of the defense Eli Myers is in his senior year.
"Defensively, we have a lot of speed,” said Myers. “Just a lot of people who want to play and want to hit and want to help this team.”
The defense led up a combined 21 points through the first five games in 2022.
They will need to bring the same intensity into the first games of 2023. This season, the start of the Dragons' schedule is more difficult than last season.
"Our schedule is a lot tougher by design this year... early,” said Coach Rocconi. “And that was planned. I wanted to do that. We wanted to do that. We are hoping that those games help us out as we go into district play."
The Dragons kick off the season at Riverside High School. They return home to battle the Beech Buccaneers, who were runners up in last year’s division 6A state championship. Coach Rocconi and his team will then then travel to Bartlett for a week three showdown.