After back-to-back losing seasons, the New Madrid County Central football team is looking to change its culture in 2018 under third-year head coach Tyler Fullhart. Going into the upcoming campaign, the Eagles will be without four starters, but return 14 on both sides of the ball. Overall, Fullhart said that even though offense, defense and special teams have all looked good, there is work to be done. “Special teams looks really good right now,” Fullhart said. “I’m really proud of our special teams, but our defense looks really good too. We’re flying around, pursuits pretty good, so I’m OK with where our defense is right now, but we got to get better. “It’s looked OK (offensively). I mean, we still got to clean things up. Offense is all about execution, so the more reps you get, the better you get at it. So, we need all the reps we can get, but I mean, we’re OK.” This season will be one where Fullhart will have a little bit of experience and youth. NMCC has seven seniors on the roster, to 38 underclassmen. Over the summer, Fullhart said there had been key position battles to determine starting spots as well. “I hate to be vague, but we have position battles every day for the most part,” Fullhart said. “So if one guy is not getting it done. I mean, that’s life, if you aren’t getting it done, you lose your job, so that’s how we treat it.” Fullhart added that position battles would only strengthen his team. Going into Friday’s first game, at Malden, Fullhart said that he thinks his team’s biggest strength is that they are still trying to adjust as one unit while dealing through adversity. To help with adjusting, having position battles is one thing that Fullhart acknowledged will help his team become better knowing that mistakes could cost a starting spot. “Absolutely, you get stronger, or you get weeded out because it forces guys to rise to the top,” Fullhart said. “One thing that I don’t like is complacency, and if you feel uncomfortable, then you get complacent. If you’re complacent than you’re not competing, and there’s somebody out there that’s going to try and take it from you no matter what. That’s the way I look at it.” Even with the special teams and defense looking good, and the offense still trying to work things out, Fullhart said that getting in game shape and being able to execute better are the things that he will need the Eagles to improve on this season. “Really, just the little things,” Fullhart said. “You know, the little things that probably everybody needs to get better at. If we can get better at the little things, I think we can be all right.” Furthermore, Fullhart said being able to compete and play four quarters of football is what he is expecting out of this NMCC team this season. He added that no matter the result, competing at the highest level is what he wants the most.