Emporia State football looks to bounce back after disappointing end to 2024 season

EMPORIA (KSNT) – Coaches and players from all 10 MIAA football programs gathered Monday at Emporia State University for the conference’s annual Media Day, looking ahead to the upcoming 2025 season.

For the host team, it was a chance to turn the page after a strong 7-1 start before dropping the final three matchups of the season.

Emporia State Head Coach Garin Higgins is motivated to start and finish strong this season.

“We’re not satisfied with how things ended, so yes, there is a sense of urgency there, and I think you learn from it,” Higgins said. “You know, you’ve got to stay healthy, you’ve got to get breaks in this league, and your guys have to stick together.”

Higgins knows that it will take a full team effort for the Hornets to finish the season on a high.

“I got to look at my own self, being the head football coach, and be better, I think our coaching staff too, in general, and then our players. I just don’t think we played with the type of confidence that we needed to play with,” Higgins said.

The players are motivated by last season’s less-than-stellar ending as they head into the summer.

“We really had a chip on our shoulder this summer to never let that happen again, and so, our guys have been focused and just like Coach Higgins said, we got a lot of young guys,” C.J. Adams said, a redshirt senior defensive lineman. “So just trying to stay connected with them and having that connected bond so we don’t go through things like that again. So that’s just really what we’ve been harping on this summer.”

The Hornets will open up its season at home on August 28^th against Minot State at 7 p.m.