Before you read this, you have to check your entire knowledge of Wayne State football at the door. Any assumptions you have about the non-success of last year, forget about it.

I visited my first Wayne State football team spring practice last week, to take a few photos and to see how the operation is running.

I stuck around for about an hour, taking in the sights and sounds, along with taking enough photos to fill up an album.

As I walked down the ramp leading away from Bob Cunningham Field, a sense of confidence filled my head.

Seeing the players buddy up with each other, smacking each other around up and down the field, and the competition arising from each drill utterly surprised me.

Whatever doubt I had about this coaching staff before, that practice was replaced with sheer confidence.

The command that they all bring to the huddle, the search for ultimate perfection in every action on the field and all of the personalities melding into one machine with one goal: winning.

Let’s go back to last year for just a moment. The Wildcats finished a dismal 2-9.

Not what head coach Dan McLaughlin wanted, not what any of the players strived for and not what any of the Wildcat faithful hoped for.

However, I watched every snap of every game for Wayne State, and I can say to you with all my being that the 2-9 overall record was not indicative of the overall play and intensity of the team throughout the season.

They started out last season on the road at Northern State, and lost a heartbreaker 29-27 in three overtimes.

They lost the next game at home, the first on the new field turf by a touchdown to the University of Mary.

A convincing 41-25 victory over Minnesota Crookston gave hope to the team and fans that the season could be turned around, but more importantly showed how good this team could be.

The homecoming game against Minnesota Duluth was a humbling experience for everyone in Wayne, losing 64-21.

But looking more closely, Wayne State had a chance in this game. Early in the game, Wayne State was within one, 15-14. The two teams were essentially trading touchdowns. What happened after that only the players can truly describe.

The main point is, however, we had a chance.

After the tornado tore through Wayne on a Friday night, the football team traveled to Augustana on Saturday and gutted out a 10-7 victory that gave not only themselves, but the entire town of Wayne something to be proud of.

It was after that, though, that WSC didn’t pick up another win. However, out of the remaining six losses on the season, three of those losses had a combined margin of 11.

Three losses with a combined margin of 11. Any of those games could have easily been a Wayne State victory.

After saying all of that, what should we expect for next season?

After what I saw on the practice field, look for a stingy, hard-nosed and flamboyant football team.
A team that works hard on and off the field, but is also close knit and has a lot of fun.

See for yourself this Saturday. Head on down to Bob Cunningham Field this Saturday and check it out.

This is a team that won’t put up with failure. They’re flat out bringing it.