Edinburg football is heading into its second year under head coach Joe Pena and the Bobcats are looking to build on a strong debut season that included a playoff win.

The team lost a large number of senior starters, leaving very few returners on both offense and defense. Younger players will need to step up and fill those roles.

"We lost a lot of seniors this past year that really held the fort down for us but it gave these guys a standard to look up to and hopefully they can rise to that occasion," Head Coach Joe Pena said.

Senior defensive end Uziel Flores said the standard starts in practice.

"Every day I need to push them to their limits. In the weight room, outside running. We can't be walking on the field. Things will just add up and work up against us that we need to correct and fix to get our squad ready," Flores said.

One key returner is senior quarterback Aidden Sanchez, who will lead the Bobcats into a district that features all four Edinburg schools for the first time.

Senior running back Tyler Galvan said the rivalry games have the team fired up.

"They're good teams but we're good too so it'll be good games," Galvan said.

Sanchez said the competition is what drives the team.

"It feels good. It's the competition out here. We have a lot of competition out here and we're here to show out. Whoever is the best man wins," Sanchez said.

"It's always a fun experience. It's always fun for the community to get behind the team again, get all our teams together," Coach Pena said. "A lot of respect to the Coaches with Morales at North, Salas at Econ, Landez. So, we're hoping to have a good little turn out with a great pop and feel from both sides of the field and put on a good show for them."

The Bobcats have a five-game non-district schedule before district play begins. They open against Brownsville Hanna in Week 1, followed by Weslaco East, PSJA Memorial, Brownsville Rivera and Edcouch-Elsa.

A Week 6 bye gives the team a break before district play starts. Edinburg faces Economedes in Week 7, Edinburg North in Week 8, La Joya in Week 9 and Vela in Week 10.

The Bobcats close the season in Week 11 against the reigning district champions, Weslaco.