The UTRGV Vaqueros are heading into their second year of football with their sights set on the playoffs.

Channel 5 News spoke with head coach Travis Bush, redshirt sophomore linebacker Jaiden Haygood and redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Nick Hughes at the Southland Conference Opening Drive media event in Houston.

Haygood said the team's goal goes beyond just meeting last year's standard.

"At the end of the day, we want to raise the standard," Haygood said. "Trying to be undefeated at the end of the year and go to the playoffs."

Hughes said leadership will be key to keeping the program moving forward.

"It comes down to a lot on us, you know, being leaders. That's pretty much it, you know, leading the guys, showing them, like, leading what we do, saying how we are," Hughes said.

The Vaqueros return the majority of their starters from last year's defense, setting the stage for the team to be one of the top units in the conference.

Haygood said that experience gives the unit a strong foundation heading into the year.

"Having eight guys back, they know the defense, they know what they're doing. So, at the end of the day, we just have to execute, see what we're going against and execute," Haygood said. "We have plays under our belt, we have reps, we've done it before, so we just got to do it again."

Coach Bush reflected on how far his players have come since he first recruited them.

"Three years ago, we were in their living rooms, you know, with pictures of a facility, pictures of a stadium and visions of a football program. And they chose us on a dream, on a vision," Bush said. "And then to see what they've done, you know, just so proud of everything they've done and their leadership, what they've done as freshmen coming in there in the practice year and then getting on the field and just, you know, just can't say enough about that."

The team is set to return to Robert and Janet Vacker Stadium for Year 2 with the first game set for August 29th.