25 Teams in 25 Days: East Central Hornets

When Eric Collins was introduced as the next head football coach at East Central back in December, he said God willing he would retire a hornet.

- when eric collins was introduce- as the next head- football coach at east central,- back in december... he- said god willing... he would- retire a hornet.- more than seven months later...- there's still a lot of football- to be played between now and- then... exactly a month away...- from the start of the 20-20 - season.

- let's check in with the boys- from hurley... for stop number- 3... on news 25's 25 teams in 2- days.

- - and now... news 25's 25 teams i- 25- days... with jeff haeger.

- nat ---> "running backs, get a- break.

Get over there with- coach.

Running- backs, quarterbacks on the side- let's get our options ready.- hey, gata on three!

- one, two, three, gata!"

- "this is a dream come true.

I'm- loving it.

I'm so excited to be- an east central hornet, - - - - and i can't tell you how- overwhelmed i am and excited i- am to be here."

- throughout his 38 years of- coaching experience... eric - collins has proven he's not - scared to take over struggling- programs... even if it means- inheriting a winless- program.- the exact opposite of his - current reality... at east- central.- "a lot of times, i've taken ove- - in my life - programs that- have been struggling and- then i had to install that- winning attitude and sometimes- - - - it took a while and sometimes i- happened quickly.

But here it's- a little different, because the- way i like to run the program,- it's here.

It's already done.

- all of the things that we do- - - - are already being done.

So it's- almost like i stepped into my - own program."

- seth smith is hardly a forgotte- man in hurley,- following his departure for - pearl river community - college... having led the - hornets to a pair of 4-a south- state - championship games... and of- course... the 20-17 state title- game.

- so why fix what ain't broken...- "it was a relief.

I know the- first day he came, he said- nothing was going to change.

An- it hasn't really changed."- "well, he said to us that it- wasn't going to change - well,- the program wasn't going- to change and it was just going- to be little tweaks like that.- and from what i've seen, it - hasn't really changed a lot."

- still high energy coaching... - perhaps a little more old - school... so the only primary - difference is the offensive - transition, from running the- power "i"... to the wing "t".

And after the hornets dot those- "i's" and cross those - "t's"... they'll be ready to- break out their new look, - starting- with vancleave at home on - - - - september 4th... fresh off thei- earliest playoff exit, since- 20-14... but just two years - removed...- from that trip to state.- "it gives me excitement and hop- because if it's been done - before, it can be - done again."- "when we were little, if east - central won three games it was - good season.

But- - - - now, if you lose in the playoff- i mean everyone is just like- well, they're no good.

I- guess it's just the whole - mentality of we're, we're - supposed to win.

I guess that's- still the mentality i think."

- that standard of excellence has- this year's class of more than- 20- seniors hungry to improve upon- last year's overall mark, of- 7-5... riding the wave of five- straight winning seasons... and- six - straight trips to the - post-season.- and given the state of the- world... those seniors are a lo- hungrier... than usual.

- "i'm ready to play.

I feel like- we've been working out for two- years.

I think all of us- are just ready to just strap up- and hit."

- "i've talked to people and- they're talking about what if i- don't have my senior- season?

What will happen to me- after that?

And me thinking tha- i actually have a - senior season, it makes me want- to work harder."- - east central only lost one game- against gulfport, as a- part of what would've been the- fourth annual port city - bowl... due to the corona-virus- pandemic.

- as for the winner of this year'- baddest hornet- competition... it's senior- running back